Final answer:
A human kidney is not divided into 20 lobes; this statement is false. The kidney typically has 6-8 lobes formed by the renal columns, separating the renal pyramids and papillae within the medulla.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that a human kidney is divided into 20 lobes is false. The human kidney is actually divided into approximately 6-8 lobes. These lobes are formed by the renal columns that provide a supportive framework and separate the renal pyramids and papillae in the medulla.
Each renal pyramid, along with the overlying area of the renal cortex and half of each adjacent renal column, constitutes a lobe. The kidneys' lobes are not commonly referenced in basic anatomy, as the entire kidney's function is often considered as a whole. Most focus on the functional unit of the kidney, which is the nephron, and there are about 1.3 million nephrons per kidney. Nephrons consist of a renal corpuscle, a renal tubule, and the associated capillary network and are primarily located in the cortex of the kidney.