Introduces the kidney as the urinary system's functional unit and walks through the nephron's parts in order: glomerulus, Bowman's capsule, proximal and distal convoluted tubules, loop of Henle and collecting tubule. For each segment it notes its main role, such as filtration, nutrient absorption, water reabsorption or ion and pH regulation. Two micrograph images accompany the text.
Topic 1 of 17 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Histology (Medicine, Year 2). The free AceMed note covers it in 1 section, about 118 words (1 min of reading), with 12 flashcards.
In this note
Introduction
Introduction
The kidneys are the most complex part of the urinary system, they consist of a functional unit known as the Nephron. Nephrons operate within the parenchyma of the kidneys which filter blood to remove urea, a waste product formed by the oxidation of proteins, as well as removing excess ions. Each Nephron consists of:
- Glomerulus (where blood flows in via afferent arteriole is filtered before flowing out via efferent arteriole)
- Bowman's capsule (with Bowman’s space)
- Proximal convoluted tubule (where absorbance of nutrients takes place before Glomerulus)
- Loop of Henle (where water is reabsorbed)
- Distal convoluted tubule (where ion concentration and pH levels are regulated)
- Collecting tubule (where multiple distal tubes come together)
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