BETA
Chapter 1
The anatomy of a cellular filter
Chapter 2
Chemical balance and body harmony
Chapter 3
From ancient mummies to modern dialysis
YOUR GOAL
Master of The body's secret filters
Ch 3 · From ancient mummies to modern dialysis
artiteacher Pilot your time machine through the bloodstream to learn how kidneys filter waste.
artiteacher The Kidneys
In ancient tombs or modern rooms, those kidneys stay right where they are!
artiteacher In 1954, surgeons performed the first successful human organ transplant in history—a kidney transplant between identical twins.
artiteacher During World War II, a Dutch doctor built the first working artificial kidney using sausage casings and a sewing machine.
Fun Fact
The third kidney: During a kidney transplant, surgeons usually leave the two old, non-functioning kidneys inside and add the third new kidney in the pelvis.
Glossary
dialysis (noun)
A medical treatment that filters waste products and excess fluid from the blood when kidneys fail. In 1943, Dutch physician Willem Kolff constructed the first functional artificial kidney device using sausage casings.
A medical treatment that filters waste products and excess fluid from the blood when kidneys fail. In 1943, Dutch physician Willem Kolff constructed the first functional artificial kidney device using sausage casings.
Quiz
What everyday kitchen and household item did Dr. Willem Kolff use to filter blood in his first dialysis machine?
Quiz
Where do surgeons usually place a transplanted kidney inside the recipient's body?
Quiz
What happens to a patient's original, non-functioning kidneys during a standard kidney transplant?
Quiz
Which surgeon won a Nobel Prize in 1990 for leading the team that performed the first successful kidney transplant?
Quiz
In which country did Dr. Willem Kolff invent the first working artificial kidney machine during World War II?
Quiz
In what year was the first successful human kidney transplant performed between identical twins?
Quiz
Why did ancient Egyptian embalmers leave kidneys inside mummies instead of placing them in jars?
Quiz
What cutting-edge technology are modern scientists researching to create custom, transplantable kidneys?