Renal corpuscle

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Renal corpuscle
Image:Corpuscule-malpighi.JPG
Glomerulus is red; Bowman's capsule is green.
Image:Gray1129.png
Distribution of bloodvessels in cortex of kidney.
Latin	corpusculum renis
Gray's	subject #253 1221

In the kidney, a renal corpuscle is the initial filtering component of a nephron. It consists of two structures:

a glomerulus, a small network of capillaries
a Bowman's capsule, a sac-like structure enclosing the glomerulus.

Fluid from blood in the glomerulus is collected in the Bowman's capsule to form "glomerular filtrate", which is then further processed along the nephron to form urine.

[edit] Eponym

A renal corpuscle is also known as a Malpighian corpuscle, named after Marcello Malpighi (1628-1694), an Italian physician and biologist. This name is not used widely anymore, probably to avoid confusion with a Malpighian corpuscle in the spleen.

[edit] Additional images

Glomerulus is red; Bowman's capsule is white.

Glomerulus.

[edit] External links

Urinary system - Kidney - edit
Renal capsule \| Renal cortex \| Renal medulla (Renal sinus, Renal pyramids) \| Renal calyx \| Renal pelvis
Nephron - Renal corpuscle (Glomerulus, Bowman's capsule) → Proximal tubule → Loop of Henle → Distal convoluted tubule → Collecting ducts Juxtaglomerular apparatus (Macula densa, Juxtaglomerular cells, Extraglomerular mesangial cells) Renal circulation - Renal artery → Interlobar arteries → Arcuate arteries → Cortical radial arteries → Afferent arterioles → Glomerulus → Efferent arterioles → Vasa recta → Arcuate vein→ Renal vein
Renal physiology
Filtration - Ultrafiltration \| Countercurrent exchange Hormones effecting filtration - Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) \| Aldosterone \| Atrial natriuretic peptide Endocrine - Renin \| Erythropoietin (EPO) \| Calcitriol (Active vitamin D) \| Prostaglandins
Assessing Renal function / Measures of dialysis
Glomerular filtration rate \| Creatinine clearance \| Renal clearance ratio \| Urea reduction ratio \| Kt/V \| Standardized Kt/V \| Hemodialysis product