Afferent arterioles
Afferent Arterioles
Afferent arterioles (pronunciation: /əˈfɛrənt ɑːrˈtɪəriːoʊlz/) are a group of blood vessels that are part of the kidney's microcirculation system. They play a crucial role in the regulation of blood pressure and the filtration rate of the glomerulus.
Etymology
The term "afferent" comes from the Latin word "affero" which means to bring to. In this context, it refers to the arterioles bringing blood to the glomerulus. The term "arteriole" is derived from the Latin "arteriola", the diminutive of "arteria", meaning artery.
Function
Afferent arterioles carry oxygenated blood from the renal artery to the glomerulus. They are responsible for controlling the amount of blood that enters the glomerulus. This is achieved by the contraction and relaxation of the smooth muscle in the arteriole wall, a process known as autoregulation.
Related Terms
- Efferent arterioles: These are the counterpart to afferent arterioles. They carry blood away from the glomerulus.
- Renal artery: The main blood vessel that supplies the kidneys with blood.
- Glomerulus: A network of tiny blood vessels in the kidney where waste products are filtered from the blood.
- Autoregulation: The process by which organs and tissues in the body regulate their own blood flow.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Afferent arterioles
- Wikipedia's article - Afferent arterioles
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