A kidney is composed of an enormous number of uriniferous tubules.They are also known as nephrons or renal tubules or kidney tubules.
- Nephrons are the structural and functional units of the kidney.
- Each kidney is formed of about 1 million nephrons.
- Nephrons are held together by a connective tissue.
Structure of nephron:
- Each nephron is made of a glomerulus and a renal tubule.
Glomerulus:
- It is a tuft of anastomosing blood capillaries formed by the fine branches of the
afferent arteriole.
- These capillaries of the glomerulus again unite to form the efferent arteriole.
- The afferent arteriole is wider than the efferent arteriole.
- The afferent arteriole brings blood into the glomerulus, while the efferent arteriole collects blood from the glomerulus.
Renal Tubule:
The renal tubule comprises the following regions:
Bowman’s Capsule
- The Bowman’s capsule lies in the cortex.
- It is a thin double-walled, cup-like depression.
- It is the blind end of the nephron.
- The glomerulus is located in the concave depression of the Bowman’s capsule.
