Glomerular filtration
Glomerular Filtration
Glomerular filtration (pronunciation: glo·mer·u·lar fil·tra·tion) is a process in the kidney where the blood is filtered to form an initial urine. This process is the first step in the urine formation.
Etymology
The term 'glomerular filtration' is derived from the word 'glomerulus', which is a network of tiny blood vessels in the kidney, and 'filtration', which refers to the process of filtering out substances from the blood.
Process
Glomerular filtration occurs in the glomerulus, a tiny ball-shaped structure composed of capillary blood vessels. The process begins when blood enters the glomerulus through the afferent arteriole. The blood pressure in the glomerulus causes water, glucose, amino acids, and urea to filter out of the blood and into the Bowman's capsule, forming the glomerular filtrate. The cells and proteins are too large to pass through the glomerulus and remain in the blood. The filtered blood then leaves the glomerulus through the efferent arteriole.
Related Terms
- Glomerulus: A network of tiny blood vessels in the kidney where glomerular filtration occurs.
- Afferent arteriole: The blood vessel that carries blood to the glomerulus.
- Efferent arteriole: The blood vessel that carries filtered blood away from the glomerulus.
- Bowman's capsule: A cup-like sac that surrounds the glomerulus and collects the glomerular filtrate.
- Urine formation: The process by which the kidneys filter out wastes, excess substances, and water from the blood to form urine.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Glomerular filtration
- Wikipedia's article - Glomerular filtration
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