All the following are true regarding blood supply to the kidney, EXCEPT?
**Core Concept**
The blood supply to the kidney is a unique system that plays a crucial role in maintaining renal function. The kidneys receive approximately 20-25% of the cardiac output, which is then distributed through a complex network of arteries, veins, and capillaries.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The kidneys do not receive a portal circulation, unlike the liver, which receives blood from two sources: the hepatic artery and the portal vein. The renal arteries, on the other hand, directly supply oxygenated blood from the aorta to the kidneys. This is why option A is incorrect.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option B:** The stellate veins are actually responsible for draining the deep zone of the kidney, while the arcuate veins drain the superficial zone. Therefore, option B is incorrect because it inaccurately describes the drainage of the superficial zone.
**Option C:** The segmental arteries of the kidney are not end-arteries, but rather they give off smaller branches that eventually lead to the glomeruli. These smaller branches are indeed end-arteries, but the segmental arteries themselves are not. Therefore, option C is incorrect.
**Option D:** The renal artery does indeed divide into five segmental arteries before entering the hilum, which then further divide into lobar and then interlobar arteries. This is a correct description of the renal arterial supply, making option D incorrect as the exception.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
It's essential to remember that the renal arteries arise from the aorta just below the origin of the superior mesenteric artery, and they enter the kidney at the level of the L1-L2 vertebrae.
**Correct Answer:**
β Correct Answer: A. It is a type of poal-circulation.