Glomerular capsule
Glomerular Capsule
The Glomerular Capsule (pronounced: glo-MER-u-lar CAP-sule), also known as Bowman's Capsule, is a cup-like sac at the beginning of the tubular component of a nephron in the mammalian kidney that performs the first step in the filtration of blood to form urine.
Etymology
The term "Glomerular Capsule" is derived from the Latin word 'glomerulus' which means 'a small ball' and 'capsula' which means 'a small box'. It was named after Sir William Bowman, an English physician and anatomist who first described the structure.
Function
The Glomerular Capsule surrounds the glomerulus. It serves as a filter to remove organic wastes, excess inorganic salts, and water. The filtered substances are then passed into the renal tubules where they are further processed to form urine.
Structure
The Glomerular Capsule is a double-walled cup-like structure. The outer layer, or parietal layer, is composed of simple squamous epithelium. The inner layer, or visceral layer, is made up of podocytes which wrap around the capillaries of the glomerulus. The space between these two layers is called the urinary space or Bowman's space.
Related Terms
- Nephron: The functional unit of the kidney, consisting of a glomerulus and its associated tubule, through which the glomerular filtrate passes before it is excreted as urine.
- Glomerulus: A network of small blood vessels in the kidney, where waste products are filtered from the blood.
- Podocytes: Specialized cells in the Bowman's capsule in the kidneys that wrap around capillaries of the glomerulus.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Glomerular capsule
- Wikipedia's article - Glomerular capsule
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