The role of the kidneys and bladder in removing wastes inside the body
The kidneys are important organs in the body’s excretory system. They are responsible for processing the blood continuously to remove nitrogenous wastes (mainly urea) and they also adjust salt concentrations.
It is not surprising, considering the pivotal role of the kidneys in removing body wastes that any interference with their normal function can lead to serious illnesses. Kidney stones are formed by the deposition of solid substances that are naturally found in the urine but that precipitate out for one reason or another. They are commonly salts of calcium, and the alteration in pH of the urine is often a contributory factor. Nephritis is inflammation of the kidney and pyelitis is when part of the kidney, the pelvis, becomes inflamed. If the whole kidney becomes affected, it is then called pyelonephritis.