Question

Describe Malpighian body. Explain its role in urine formation.

Answer 1

Malpighian body is made up of the glomerulus and the Bowman's Capsule. The glomerulus is a network of capillaries that receives blood from the afferent arteriole and gives it further to the efferent arteriole. From the glomerulus, the component of blood diffuse into the Bowman's Capsule through the endothelium and basement membrane of the glomerulus and the epithelium of Bowman's Capsule.

The Bowman's Capsule receives the filtrate from the glomerulus. It is made up of a double layer called the parietal layer and the visceral membrane. The visceral membrane has special cells called the podocytes, that have spaces in between them through which the glomerular filtrate is filtered.

The blood comes into the glomerulus through which it is diffused into the Bowman's capsule. Only the smaller solute molecules and water is allowed to pass through the membranes while the blood cells are retained within the glomerulus. Hence, the Malpighian Body allows the filtration of blood so that the waste can be separated from the blood. The filtrate further moves to tubules where fine reabsorption and secretion takes place. Both the kidneys produce approximately 180 liters of filtrate every day.