Kidney Blood Supply

As they pass through the renal hilum, the segmental arteries divide to form the interlobar arteries. These vessels carry blood toward the renal cortex as they travel through the renal columns located between adjacent renal pyramids. Blood flows toward the kidney from the descending aorta via the renal artery. Before entering the kidney, the renal artery separates into several segmental arteries.

The blood next enters the arcuate arteries that run along the renal cortex and renal medulla boundary. Each arcuate artery supplies blood to several interlobular arteries and their branches, the afferent arterioles.

The afferent arterioles deliver blood to the glomerular capillaries, where blood filtrate enters nearby nephrons. The filtered blood is carried away from the glomeruli by efferent arterioles. The blood then flows into a network of peritubular and vasa recta capillaries. As these vessels wind around the nephron tubules, some of the filtrates re-enter the bloodstream.

The capillaries converge into interlobular veins that deliver blood to the arcuate veins. The arcuate veins drain into the interlobar veins, which transport blood through renal columns and renal hilum. Blood exits the kidney via the renal vein and is carried back to the heart by the inferior vena cava.