Final answer:
The two main tissue layers that make up the kidney are the renal cortex (outer layer) and the renal medulla (inner layer), both of which are crucial for the kidney's function.
Step-by-step explanation:
The kidney has two main tissue layers involved in its essential functions, which include the filtration of blood and formation of urine.
The outer layer is known as the renal cortex, which is granular due to the presence of nephrons—the functional units of the kidney.
Beneath the cortex is the renal medulla, which consists of several cone-shaped masses called the renal pyramids. The renal pyramids and the cortex make up the lobes of the kidney.