Master Renal Corpuscle with Picmonic for Medicine

The cortex is the outer layer of the kidney where renal corpuscles, including the glomerulus and Bowman’s capsule, are located.

Afferent arterioles bring blood from the renal artery into the glomerulus of the kidney, where filtration begins, these afferent arterioles are able to dilate to allow for more filtration.

The glomerulus is a cluster of capillaries receiving blood from the afferent arterioles, and it performs the first stage of filtration. It consists of capillary walls with fenestrations, which are small pores allowing passage of water, electrolytes, and small molecules while restricting larger proteins and cells. Other important parts of the glomerulus are the basement membrane and podocytes. They regulate filtration further. Podocytes are cells with foot-like extensions that form slit diaphragms, creating a selective barrier for filtering waste products, water, and other small molecules from the blood.

The glomerulus is a cluster of capillaries leading to the nephron. It is the first site of filtration in the kidney.

Selective filtration is the process in which the glomerulus filters blood. The filtration is based on size and charge. It allows small molecules like water, ions, glucose, and urea to pass into Bowman’s capsule, while larger molecules like proteins and blood cells are retained in the bloodstream. The filtration is a critical step in forming urine and regulating body fluids.

Glucose, amino acids, salts, and urea are pushed by high pressure into the filtrate that enters the nephron. This process is called ultrafiltration.

Bowman's capsule is the site where the filtrate from ultrafiltration first collects. It surrounds the glomerulus, capturing the filtrate that passes through the glomerular filtration barrier. This marks the border between blood in the capillaries and filtrate entering the nephron.