Nephron structure

• Nephron structure 

  • Each kidney contains thousands of tiny tubes known as nephrons 
  • Nephrons are functional units of the kidney, responsible for the formation of urine  
• Nephron diagram

  
• There is also a network of blood vessels associated with each nephron 

  • Within bowman’s capsule of each nephron is a structure known as glomerulus 
  • Each glomerulus is supplied with blood by an afferent arteriole (carries blood from renal artery) 
  • Capillaries of the glomerulus rejoins at efferent arteriole 
  • Blood then flows from the efferent arteriole into a network of capillaries that run closely alongside the rest of the nephron 
  • Blood from these capillaries eventually flows into renal vein 
• Blood vessels of the nephron

  
• Formation of urine at the nephron 

  • Nephron is the functional unit of the kidney – nephron for the formation of urine 

   

  • Process of urine formation in the kidneys occurs in two stages: 
  • Ultrafiltration 
  • Selective reabsoprtion