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structure and function of nephron |
The kidneys have three basic mechanisms for separating the various components of the blood: filtration, reabsorption, and secretion. These three processes occur in the nephron , which is the most basic functional unit of the kidney. Each kidney contains approximately one million of these functional units. The nephron contains a cluster of blood vessels known as the glomerulus, surrounded by the hollow Bowman's capsule. The glomerulus and Bowman's capsule together are known as the renal corpuscle. Bowman's capsule leads into a membrane-enclosed, U-shaped tubule that empties into a collecting duct. The collecting ducts from the various nephrons merge together, and ultimately empty into the bladder. The nephron segments are Renal capsule which has two parts : Glomerulus and Bowman's capsule The function : Aids in filtration. Glomerulus filters proteins and cells from the blood. All other blood components pass into Bowman's capsule, then into the tubule. Another segment is the U-shaped tubule The functions : Resorption and Secretion Semipermeable membranes surrounding the tubule allow selective passage of particles back into the blood (reabsorption), or from the blood into the tubule (secretion). |