A Real kidney with a coronal cut exposing the major structures associated with its functions! The kidneys are the waste filtering and disposal system of the body. As much as 1/3 of all blood leaving the heart passes into the kidneys to be filtered before flowing to the rest of the body's tissues. While a person could live with only one functioning kidney, our kidneys are vital organs; the loss of both kidneys would lead to a rapid accumulation of wastes and death within a few days time. A thin layer of fibrous connective tissue forms the renal capsule surrounding each kidney. The renal capsule provides a stiff outer shell to maintain the shape of the soft inner tissues. Deep to the renal capsule is the soft, dense, vascular renal cortex. Seven cone-shaped renal pyramids form the renal medulla deep to the renal cortex. The renal pyramids are aligned with their bases facing outward toward the renal cortex and their apexes point inward toward the center of the kidney. Each apex connects to a minor calyx, a small hollow tube that collects urine. The minor calyces merge to form 3 larger major calyces, which further merge to form the hollow renal pelvis at the center of the kidney. The renal pelvis exits the kidney at the renal hilus, where urine drains into the ureter.