Morcellation devices in surgery. Laparoscopic morcellation is commonly used at surgery to remove bulky specimens from the abdomen using minimally invasive techniques. Historically, morcellation was performed using a device that required the surgeon or assistant to manually 'squeeze' the handle.
Endocrine functions of the kidneys. The kidneys produce three important hormones: erythropoietin, calcitriol (1,25- dihydroxycholecalciferol) and renin. They also synthesize prostaglandins, which affect many processes in the kidneys.
The kidneys and liver can make hormones that stimulate other organs. When sunlight strikes the skin, the skin makes a chemical that the liver changes into a form of vitamin D. This vitamin D moves from the liver to the kidneys courtesy of the bloodstream. In the kidneys it becomes a hormone called calcitriol.