Structure

• What is the outer layer of the kidneys called?

  cortex
• Describe nephrons?


  The long tubules along with the bundle of capillaries where the blood is filtered = nephrons
• How many nephrons in each kidney?


  Around 1 million
• Where does blood from the renal artery enter?


  Smaller arterioles in the cortex of the kidney
• What does each arteriole split into?


  A glomerulus
• Plural of glomerulus?


  glomeruli
• Describe a glomerulus?


  A bundle of capillaries looped inside a hollow ball (Bowmans capsule)
• Where does ultrafiltration take place?


  The Bowmans Capsule
• Describe the afferent arteriole?


  • takes blood into each glomerulus
• Describe efferent arteriole?


  • takes the FILTERED blood AWAY from the glomrulus
• Is efferent or afferent arteriole smaller in diameter?


  efferent- smaller - so the blood in the glomerulus is under HIGH PRESSURE
• What do the liquid and small molecules do?

  Pass through THREE layers to get into the Bowman's capsule and enter the nephron tubules - the capillary wall , a membrane (basement membrane) and the EPITHELIUM of the Bowman's capsule
• What do large molecules do?


  cannot pass through , so stay in the blood
• Examples of large molecules that cant pass through?


  proteins and blood cells
• What is the glomerular filtrate?


  the substances that enter the Bownman's capsule
• what does the glomerular filtrate pass along?


  the rest of the nephron and useful substances are reabsorbed along the way

  FINALLY, the filtrate flows through the collecting duct and passes OUT of the kidney along the URETER