Final answer:
The human kidney is divided into 6 to 8 renal lobes, formed by the renal pyramids and columns, with renal cortex as the outer region and the medulla as the inner region.
Step-by-step explanation:
The human kidney is divided into several renal lobes, specifically between 6 and 8 lobes. The renal columns, extensions of connective tissue, radiate downward from the cortex through the medulla, helping to separate the renal pyramids and the renal papillae. The renal pyramids and columns together form the lobes of the kidney. The renal cortex is the outer region while the medulla is the inner region of the kidney, and within these, the nephrons – the functional units of the kidney – carry out the filtration and processing of blood into urine.