glomeruli
Renal filtration units
Glomeruli is the plural of glomerulus, a tiny cluster of capillaries in the kidney that filters blood to form urine.
Each kidney contains about a million glomeruli.
The term appears in medical contexts discussing kidney function or disease: The biopsy showed damage to the glomeruli.
Outside medicine, glomerulus can refer to any small rounded mass of tissue or fibers.
Kidney's filtering units
- afferent arterioleBlood vessel entering glomerulus
- endotheliumCells lining blood vessels
- basement membraneExtracellular matrix beneath epithelia
- fenestrationsOpenings in structures
Abnormal urinary albumin levels
- hematuriaPlasma in urinary output
- IgA nephropathyRenal immunoglobulin deposition disorder
- amyloidosisPathological protein deposition disorder
- fibrosisPathological connective tissue buildup
Waste filtration by organs
- renal failureLoss of kidney function
- dialysisMechanical blood filtration
- creatinineMuscular metabolism waste compound
- urinalysisLaboratory examination of urine
nephrology · nephrologist · kidney disease · transplant · edema · hypertension · uremia
Filtering through mesh
- permeabilityAbility to transmit fluids
- selectivityTendency to choose carefully
- plasmaElectrified matter state
- solutesDissolved matter in solution
oncotic pressure · GFR · reabsorption · clearance · molecular weight · fluid dynamics · creatinine clearance
Study of tissue structure
- biopsyTissue sample for diagnosis
- specimenIndividual for examination
- stainingApplying dye or pigment
- electron microscopyImaging via focused particle beams
ultrastructure · morphology · effacement · sclerosis · deposits
nephrons
Kidney's filtering units
- afferent arterioleBlood vessel entering glomerulus
- endotheliumCells lining blood vessels
- basement membraneExtracellular matrix beneath epithelia
proteinuria
Abnormal urinary albumin levels
- hematuriaPlasma in urinary output
- IgA nephropathyRenal immunoglobulin deposition disorder
- amyloidosisPathological protein deposition disorder
kidney function
Waste filtration by organs
- renal failureLoss of kidney function
- dialysisMechanical blood filtration
- creatinineMuscular metabolism waste compound
urinalysis · nephrology · nephrologist · kidney disease · transplant · edema · hypertension · uremia
sieving
Filtering through mesh
- permeabilityAbility to transmit fluids
- selectivityTendency to choose carefully
- plasmaElectrified matter state
solutes · oncotic pressure · GFR · reabsorption · clearance · molecular weight · fluid dynamics · creatinine clearance
histology
Study of tissue structure
electron microscopy · ultrastructure · morphology · effacement · sclerosis · deposits