The Human Kidney and Dialysis [H]

This lesson covers the structure and function of the human kidney and how it plays a vital role in homeostasis. It also covers kidney failure and the treatments available, including dialysis and kidney transplantation. This is Higher Tier content on the AQA GCSE Biology specification.

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The Role of the Kidneys

The body has two kidneys, located at the back of the abdominal cavity. They perform three essential functions:

1. Filtering the blood — removing waste products such as urea.
2. Osmoregulation — controlling the water and ion balance of the blood.
3. Excretion — producing urine to remove waste substances from the body.