2.2 Kidney physiology

The kidneys’ main functions is to regulate:

• excretion of waste products
• water and salt balance
• the body’s acid-base conditions

To ensure these processes, the kidneys are regulating the composition of the blood plasma that enters the kidney. This is done using the three mechanisms:

• glomerular filtration
• tubular reabsorption (reuptake)
• tubular secretion