Final answer:
The student's statement is true; the main renal artery is responsible for the vascular supply to the kidneys. This begins at the renal hilum with branches from the aorta and involves a series of progressively smaller arteries down to the afferent arterioles that supply blood to the nephron capillaries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The vascular supply to the kidney is indeed through the main renal artery, making the statement in the question true. The blood supply to the kidneys begins when the renal arteries branch off from the aorta. After entering the kidney at the renal hilum, they divide further into segmental arteries, which then split into interlobar arteries that enter the renal columns. Progressing further, interlobar arteries give rise to arcuate arteries, and these in turn lead to cortical radiate arteries. These radiate outwards and form many afferent arterioles that deliver blood to the capillaries of the nephrons—the functional units of the kidneys.
Once the blood has been filtered by the nephrons, it returns via veins that follow a similar path but are named slightly differently, with the notable absence of segmental veins. Ultimately, blood is collected by the renal veins that exit the kidney and empty into the inferior vena cava.