List the structures of the kidney innervated by the sympathetic division.
List the structures of the kidney innervated by the sympathetic division.
The kidneys are bean-shaped organs found in pairs within our body on either side of our spine and below our ribs which is behind our belly. Each kidney is about 4 or 5 inches long which is roughly the size of a large fist. The kidneys' function is to filter our blood.
The kidneys are innervated densely with two different nerves that are renal efferent and afferent nerves which are required to communicate with the central nervous system. The major structural components of the kidneys are blood vessels, tubules, the pelvis, and glomeruli which form a bidirectional neural network to relay sensory and sympathetic signals to and from the brain. Renal efferent nerves required to regulate glomerular filtration rate, renal blood flow, tubular reabsorption of sodium and water as well as the release of renin and prostaglandins, all of which contribute to renal and cardiovascular regulation.
The sympathetic division provides input to the kidney having three fundamental mechanisms which is responsible for the renal regulation of blood pressure, the other two being baroreceptor response towards blood flow and controlling of NaCl concentration by macula densa cells. This stimulation leads to the activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system contributing to the kidney's ability to regulate systemic blood pressure.
- The renal plexus is composed of fibers from the lumbar splanchnic, celiac plexus, and intermestenteric plexus, and these fibers, particularly the celiac ganglion, can vary significantly in diameter and size, and a number of ganglia.
- The lumbar splanchnic nerves typically develop from nerve roots; however, the roots can descend to skip spinal segment levels.
- The position of the kidneys in the retroperitoneum may also vary but an ectopic kidney may be found in the pelvis when it fails to ascend.
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