Abstract
The kidneys are responsible for the regulation of fluid and electrolyte balance, the excretion of waste products such as urea and creatinine, and the overall maintenance of the extracellular environment. In addition, a large volume of fluid is filtered through the kidneys daily. In order to prevent massive losses in the urine, the kidneys must recover the bulk of filtered solutes, including amino acids, glucose, calcium, potassium and phosphorus. Finally, the kidneys secrete multiple hormones, including renin, angiotensin II, calcitriol (1.25 Vitamin D) and erythropoietin.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsSuggested Readings
Benfield M, Bunchman T. Chapter 65: Management of acute renal failure. In: Avner E, Harmon W, Niaudet P, editors. Pediatric nephrology. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2004. p. 1253–1266.
Berl T, Verbalis J. Chapter 19: Pathophysiology of water metabolism. In: Brenner B, editor. Brenner & Rector’s The kidney. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2004. p. 857–920.
Brenner B, Levine SA, Rector FC. Chapter 8: Glomerular ultrafiltration. In: Brenner B, editor. Brenner and Rector’s the kidney. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2004a. p. 353–412.
Brenner B, Levine SA, Rector FC. Chapter 7: The renal circulations. In: Brenner B, editor. Brenner & Rector’s The kidney. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2004b. p. 309–53.
Cogan MG. Fluid & electrolytes: physiology & pathophysiology. Norwalk: Appleton & Lange; 1991. p. 179.
De Vriese AS. Prevention and treatment of acute renal failure in sepsis. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2003;14(3):792–805.
Dluhy RG, Lawrence JE, Williams GH. Chapter 15 – Endocrine hypertension. In: Larsen PR, editor. Williams textbook of endocrinology. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2003. p. 552–86.
Dufour DR. Chapter 9 – Evaluation of renal function, water, electrolytes, acid-base balance, and blood gases. In: Hanry JB, editor. Clinical diagnosis and management by laboratory methods. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders; 2001. p. 159–79.
Furth S, Levin A, Schwartz G. Normal kidney function and development and choice of laboratory studies in children. In: Hogg RJ, editor. Kidney disorders in children and adolescents. A practical handbook. UK (Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon): Taylor & Francis; 2006. p. 1–14.
Goldfarb D, JV Nally J, Schreiber M. Chapter 8: Etiology, pathogenesis and management of renal failure. In: Walsh PC, editor. Campbell’s urology. 8th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2002. p. 272–306.
Han BK, Babcock DS. Sonographic measurements and appearance of normal kidneys in children. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1985;145 (3):611–6.
Herrin J. Chapter 39: Renal tubular acidosis. In: Avner E, Harmon W, Niaudet P, editors. Pediatric nephrology. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2004. p. 757–76.
The Harriet lane handbook: a manual for pediatric house officers. Custer JW, Rau RE, Editors. 18th ed. Mosby: Elsevier; 2009.
Hristova E, Henry J. Chapter 10 – Metabolic intermediates, inorganic ions and biochemical marker s of bone metabolism. In: Hanry JB, editor. Clinical diagnosis and management by laboratory methods. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders; 2001. p. 180–210.
Kanwar YS. Biophysiology of glomerular filtration and proteinuria. Lab Invest. 1984;51:7.
Kaplan BS, Meyers KEC, editors. Chapter 4: Pediatric nephrology and urology. Philadelphia: Elsevier Mosby; 2004.
Kone BC. Chapter 5: The metabolic basis of solute transport. In: Brenner B, editor. Brenner & Rector’s The kidney. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2004. p. 231–60.
Larsen W. Development of the urogenital system. In: Human embryology. New York: Churchill Livingstone; 1993. p. 235–79.
López JA, Thiagarajan P. Chapter 135 – Acquired disorders of platelet function. In: Hoffman R, editor. Hematology: basic principles and practice. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone; 2005. p. 2347–69.
Madsen KM, Tischer CC. Chapter 1 - Anatomy of the kidney. In: Brenner and Rector’s the kidney. 7th ed. Saunders: Elsevier; 2004.
Piepsz A, Tondeur M,Ham H. Europenan Journal of Nuclear Medicine & Moleculer Imaging 33(12):1477–82, 2006 Dec.
Robertson J, Shilkofski N. Chapter 25: Blood chemistries and body fluids. In: Robertson J, Shilkofski N, editors. The Harriet Lane handbook: a manual for pediatric house officers. 17th ed. Philadelphia: Mosby; 2005. p. 661–72.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 3: Proximal tubule. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001a. p. 71–111.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 11: Regulation of acid base. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001b. p. 325–71.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 23: Hypoosmolal states-hyponatremia. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001c. p. 696–745.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 2: Renal circulation and glomerular filtration rate. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001d. p. 63–70.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 9: Regulation of plasma osmolality. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001e. p. 285–98.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 8: Regulation of effective circulating volume. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001f. p. 258–84.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 6: Effects of hormones on renal function. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001g. p. 163–238.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 12: Potassium homeostasis. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001h. p. 372–402.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 15: Clinical use of diuretics. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001i. p. 448–77.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 4: Loop of Henle and the countercurrent mechanism. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001j. p. 112–42.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 10: Acid-base physiology. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001k. p. 299–324.
Rose B, Post T. Chapter 19: Metabolic acidosis. In: Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001l. p. 578–646.
Rose B, Rennke H. Chapter 2: Regulation of salt and water balance. In: Renal pathophysiology – the essentials. New York: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 1994a. p. 29–66.
Rose B, Rennke H. Chapter 5: Acid-base physiology and metabolic alkalosis. In: Renal pathophysiology – the essentials. New York: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 1994b. p. 123–51.
Rose B, Rennke H. Chapter 4: Edematous states and the use of diuretics. In: Renal pathophysiology – the essentials. New York: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 1994c. p. 97–122.
Satlin L, Woda C, Schwartz G. Chapter 18: Development of function in the metanephric kidney by Satlin. In: The kidney. San Diego: Academic Press; 2003. p. 267–325.
Schwaderer AL, Schwartz GJ. Back to basics: acidosis and alkalosis. Pediatr Rev. 2004;25(10):350–7.
Schwartz GJ, Haycock GB, Spitzer A. Plasma creatinine and urea concentration in children: normal values for age and sex. J Pediatr. 1976;88(5):828–30.
Schwartz GJ, Feld LG, Langford DJ. A simple estimate of glomerular filtration rate in full-term infants during the first year of life. J Pediatr. 1984;104(6):849–54.
Schwartz GJ, Brion LP, Spitzer A. The use of plasma creatinine concentration for estimating glomerular filtration rate in infants, children, and adolescents. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1987;34(3): 71–90.
Schwartz GJ, Muñoz A, Schneider MF, Mak RH, Kaskel F, Warady BA, Furth SL. New equations to estimate GFR in children with CKD. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2009;20:629–637.
Silkensen JR, Kasiske BL. Chapter 24 – Laboratory assessment of kidney disease: clearance, urinalysis, and kidney biopsy. In: Brenner B, editor. Brenner & Rector’s The kidney. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2004. p. 1107–50.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer-Verlag London Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Rashid, M., Schwartz, G.J. (2012). Overview, Structure and Function of the Nephron. In: Lucking, S., Maffei, F., Tamburro, R., Thomas, N. (eds) Pediatric Critical Care Study Guide. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-923-9_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-923-9_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-85729-922-2
Online ISBN: 978-0-85729-923-9
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)