Sound #2: The Squeal of a Banshee, But Under the Hood. 1  What you hear: A loud squealing noise coming from under the hood. 2  Whatâs happening: This is a classic sign of a loose or worn serpentine belt. 3  Cause for concern? Yes, because the serpentine belt powers all of your carâs major systems.
In Depth: Vessels. The kidneys are important to the bodyâs production of urine, but they also play a role in regulating important components of the blood. Blood comes to the kidneys from the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava, the large arteries and veins that are part of the ascending aorta. Oxygenated blood is brought to the kidneys from a small branch called the renal artery.
They activate vitamin D, which helps to maintain strong bones, and produce erythropoietin, a hormone that is vital for the production of red blood cells. Each kidney contains 1.0-1.5 million small tubes called nephrons. The kidneys filter blood through a network of small blood vessels called the glomerulus.