Glomerulus

A tuft of fenestrated capillaries inside a nephron’s renal corpuscle. Blood pressure drives water and small solutes across its filtration barrier into Bowman’s space, while blood cells and most proteins remain in the circulation.

Glomerular filtration: The movement of water and small solutes from glomerular blood into Bowman’s space across a filtration barrier. This is the process the glomerular capillaries perform.
Nephron: The kidney’s microscopic functional unit, comprising a renal corpuscle and a tubular system that modifies filtrate. Each glomerulus begins the work of one nephron.
Proteinuria: An abnormal amount of protein in urine, often caused by damage to the glomerular filtration barrier. Barrier injury can let albumin and other proteins escape the glomerular blood.
Proximal tubule: The first nephron segment after Bowman’s capsule, where most filtered water and solutes are reabsorbed. Unlike the glomerulus, it modifies filtrate mainly by reabsorption and secretion.
Glomerular filtration barrier: The layered interface that filters plasma between glomerular capillary blood and Bowman’s space. Its layers determine which substances can pass from the capillary tuft.
Renal corpuscle: The nephron’s filtration unit, consisting of a glomerulus enclosed by Bowman’s capsule. The capillary tuft is one half of this larger structure.
Hematuria: The presence of red blood cells in urine, visible to the eye or detected by laboratory testing. Glomerular inflammation can allow red cells to cross into the filtrate.
Peritubular capillaries: Capillary networks around renal tubules that exchange substances with tubular fluid and supply kidney tissue. These downstream vessels support exchange with tubules rather than initiate filtration.
Bowman’s capsule: A double-walled structure surrounding the glomerulus that collects newly filtered fluid in Bowman’s space. It receives the filtrate produced by the capillary tuft.
Afferent arteriole: A small artery that carries blood into a glomerulus. It supplies the capillary tuft and helps set its pressure.

Linked from 15 pages