Summary of Filed Health Plans & Rate Levels as of 10/31/14. The Health Insurance Reform Information Center is a forum for information on the recent national health insurance reform and its effects on Illinois. The Department will post fact sheets, legislation, and other useful material as it becomes available. Please check back routinely for updates.
The internal structure of the kidney is divided into two main areas... a light outer area called the renal cortex, and a darker inner area called the renal medulla. Within the medulla there are eight (8) or more cone-shaped sections known as renal pyramids.
The kidneys remove waste products and excess water from the body and so help to regulate blood pressure. 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.his helps to control blood pressure. In addition to making hormones, the kidneys also respond to a number of hormones including vitamin D, aldosterone, prostaglandins, cortisol, parathyroid hormone and calcitonin.