Kidney Function

Whole glomerulus, renal capsule and tubular renal nephron is the functional unit of kidney. It is estimated that the human kidney contains about 1 million nephron. Most of the nephron is located in the cortical area and only the portion of the nephron consisting of the loop of Henle is located in the core. The nephron, but are essentially similar to each other, differ in length. The corpuscles have their shorter in more superficial layers of the cortex and the loops of Henle extend only up to half of the marrow. The nephron of these clusters are called cortical glomeruli. By contrast, long nephron begins with the heart and ears can reach almost reach the papilla. The nephron of these clusters are called glomeruli yuxtamedulares.

Glomerulus, the glomerulus (renal corpuscle or) consists of a capillary network lined by a layer of endothelial cells, a central region formed by mesangial cells, epithelial cells associated with a basement membrane forming the visceral layer, and finally a layer of parietal cells epithelial form the Bowman capsule. The glomerulus produces an ultrafiltered plasma when the blood and urinary space separated by a membrane filter composed of fenestrated glomerular peripheral basement membrane and visceral epithelial cells by a special, the podocitos. Between the two epithelial layers (parietal layer and visceral layer) extends a narrow cavity space called Bowman

Mesangial cells: cells are irregularly shaped, with a dense core and some elongated cytoplasmic extensions. It also contains large amounts of microfilaments made of actin, a-actinin and myosin, which give these cells many of the functional properties of smooth muscle cells. In addition to providing a structural support for the glomerular capillary loops, it is believed that mesangial cells are involved in the regulation of the leak. Vasoactive substances (angiotensin II, vasopressin, norepinephrine, etc..) Cause the accounts while they are relaxing by the PEG2, peptides and dopamine headphones.

Endothelial cells: the glomerular capillaries coated with a fine stab fenestrated endothelium. Endothelial cells show an extensive network of microtubules and filaments whose function is not well known. These cells synthesize nitric oxide (NO) and its surface are receptors for factor vascular endothelial growth (VEGF) is an important regulator of vascular permeability. Endothelial cells form the initial barrier to the passage of blood components from the light to the capillary space of Bowman

Visceral epithelial cells: also called podocitos are the highest in the glomerulus. They have long cytoplasmic extensions that extend from the main cell body and divides it into appendages called pedicels.