Nephron

Bowman’s capsule, proximal tubule, descending limb, loop of Henle, ascending limb, distal tubule, collecting duct.

-If plasma osmolality is too high net movement of H2O out of cell.
-If plasma osmolality is too low net movement of H2O into cell.
-A 1% variation in plasma osmolality will trigger a corrective response by kidneys, causing a variation in the amount of water reabsorbed by the collecting ducts.

-The renal corpuscle is the first component of the nephron. It consists of the glomerulus (a tuft of capillaries) surrounded by the Bowman’s capsule. The capsule (external wall and indented components of wall) is formed by specialized epithelium.
-Podocytes are specialized epithelial cells that sit adjacent to the epithelium of the capillaries (serve as “endothelium of the capillaries”). Podocytes sit adjacent to each other and form a particular layer, which is important to the function of the renal corpuscle.
-The glomerular tuft (glomerular capillaries) are supplied by an afferent arteriole – the arterial blood profuses into the capillary and then drains from the glomerulus via the efferent arteriole. Mesangial cells can be seen within and outside the glomerulus.

-Elimination of waste substances from plasma
-Salvage of essential compounds from filtrate
-Regulation of ion levels
-Maintenance of plasma osmolality – if plasma osmolality is too low intracellularly or extracellularly, there’s a net movement of H2O into the cells; if plasma osmolality is too high intracellularly or extracellularly, there’s a net movement of H2O out of the cells. BOTH CONDITIONS COMPROMISE CELL FUNCTION.
-Regulation of plasma volume, which regulates blood pressure
-Production of hormones