Guardians of Balance: The Kidney Hormone Story

Your kidneys work nonstop to balance water, salts, and blood pressure.

They are guided by hormones from the brain, kidneys, and even the

heart. Special sensors called osmoreceptors watch blood volume and salt levels very closely.

When you lose fluid, osmoreceptors signal that the blood is too concentrated.

I am ADH. The pituitary releases me to save water when you are dehydrated.

I open water channels in the collecting ducts, pulling fluid back into the blood.

I also tighten blood vessels to raise pressure and push GFR upward. If pressure drops

further, the JGA reacts by releasing the enzyme renin. I am Angiotensin