Question

Draw a diagram of a nephron, and explain its structure.

Answer 1

A nephron is the basic filtration unit of the kidney. It is a cluster of thin-walled blood capillaries. There are different parts of the nephron in which the formation of urine take place which is the main function of the kidney.

• Bowman's capsule and the glomerulus are together called as the glomerular apparatus.
  
• There are afferent and efferent arterioles which bring and carry the blood way.
  
• The blood is filtered by the glomerulus and enters the Bowman's capsule where the podocytes help in the filtration and the glomerular filtrate is formed.
  
• When the glomerular filtrate comes to the proximal tubule then the essential nutrients are reabsorbed.
  
• There are two limbs of the loop of Henle, ascending and descending limb.
  
• The countercurrent exchange mechanism occurs which help in the regulation of the water and ions in the blood.
  
• When the glomerular filtrate is in the proximal tubule creatinine, uric acid are secreted in it.
  
• When the filtrate goes to the distal convoluted tubule urea, potassium ion and some hydrogen ions are secreted in it.
  
• The urine which is formed is transported by the collecting tubules to the renal pelvis.
  
• The urine is transported out by the ureters to the urinary bladder to store and excrete the urine from urethra.