26^th Global Nephrology, Urology and Kidney Failure Congress

Nephrology & Clinical Nephrology

A nephron is the simple structural and functional entity of the kidney. Its chief function is to regulate the concentration of water and soluble substances like sodium salts by filtering the blood, reabsorbing what is needed and excreting the rest as urine. A nephron removes wastes from the body, regulates blood volume and pressure, regulates levels of electrolytes and metabolites, and regulates blood pH. Its functions are vital to life and are regulated by the endocrine system by hormones such as antidiuretic hormone, aldosterone, and parathyroid hormone. In humans, a common kidney contains 800,000 to one million nephrons.