What is the name of the microscopic filters that make up the kidney?

What is the name of the microscopic filters that make up the kidney?

Each nephron in your kidneys has a microscopic filter, called a glomerulus that is constantly filtering your blood. Blood that is about to be filtered enters a glomerulus, which is a tuft of blood capillaries (the smallest of blood vessels).

What is the anatomy of the kidney?

Gross Anatomy The kidneys are located on the posterior wall of the abdomen at waist level. Each kidney is roughly 10 cm long and 5 cm wide, and is encased in a fibrous outer capsule called the renal capsule. The main function of the kidneys is to control blood volume and composition.

What microscopic structures make up the urinary system and what do they regulate?

The urinary system is comprised of the kidney, ureter, urinary bladder, and urethra. The kidney produces urine, which contains excess water, electrolytes and waste products of the body. It then flows down the ureter into the bladder where it is temporarily stored. The bladder is then emptied via the urethra.

What is macroscopic structure of kidney?

The functional substance, or parenchyma, of the kidney is divided into two major structures: the outer renal cortex and the inner renal medulla. Grossly, these structures take the shape of eight to 18 cone-shaped renal lobes, each containing renal cortex surrounding a portion of medulla called a renal pyramid.

What is Bowman’s capsule?

Bowman’s capsule is a part of the nephron that forms a cup-like sack surrounding the glomerulus. Bowman’s capsule encloses a space called “Bowman’s space,” which represents the beginning of the urinary space and is contiguous with the proximal convoluted tubule of the nephron.

What keeps the kidneys in place?

Each kidney is held in place by connective tissue, called renal fascia, and is surrounded by a thick layer of adipose tissue, called perirenal fat, which helps to protect it. A tough, fibrous, connective tissue renal capsule closely envelopes each kidney and provides support for the soft tissue that is inside.

What are kidney coverings?

Renal capsule, thin membranous sheath that covers the outer surface of each kidney. The capsule is composed of tough fibres, chiefly collagen and elastin (fibrous proteins), that help to support the kidney mass and protect the vital tissue from injury.

Are the functional microscopic units of the kidney?

Together, the renal cortex and renal pyramids constitute the functional portion or of the kidney. Within the parenchyma are about 1 million microscopic structures called , which are the functional units of the kidney. The number of nephrons is constant from birth, and injured or diseased nephrons cannot be replaced.