The kidneys perform the vital jobs of cleaning the blood and removing extra fluid. They filter out waste products and medications from the blood. They help to control blood pressure and red blood cell production. They keep your body chemicals and fluid in balance, and keep bones strong. They keep your body chemicals and fluid in balance, and keep bones strong.
Blood enters the kidneys through the renal arteries.
Inside the kidney, blood is cleaned by passing through microscopic filters called nephrons. There are about one million nephrons in each kidney. Waste products and excess fluid are filtered out of the blood inside the kidneys. The clean blood is returned to the body's central bloodstream through renal veins. The wastes and excess fluid leave the kidneys and are stored in the bladder as urine.