Vertebrate kidney, Biology

Assignment Help:

Vertebrate Kidney

Typically, all vertebrates have a pair of kidneys, which function on the filtration - reabsorption - secretion principle. Only in a few teleost fishes, the kidney is aglomerular (without a glomerulus) and functions on the absorption - reabsorption - secretion principle as in the malpighian tubules of insects. The functional unit of the vertebrate kidney is the nephron or the uriniferous tubule. A small fish may have only a few dozen nephrons in its kidneys; a large mammal may have several million.  A mammalis nephron begins with the renal corpuscle or the Malpighian body which consists of a double-walled cup, the Bowman's capsule, enclosing a knot of blood capillaries called glomeplus.

359_Vertebrate Kidney.png

Figure:  Schematic diagram of mammalian kidney and nephoron

Blood is brought to the kidney by the renal artery which branches and sub-branches into interloper arteries and finally into the afferent arteriole which gives rise to the capillary network of the glomerulus. An efferent arteriole formed by the confluence of the capillaries takes blood away from the Bowman's capsule. The Bowman's capsule latter continues into a long convoluted tubule which is distinguished into the proximal and distal convoluted tubules respectively. The distal convoluted tubules from different nephorons join to form the collecting tubule which carry the urine into the renal pelvis from where the ureter starts. The proximal and distal tubules are present in all vertebrates, but in birds and mammals a new U-shaped hair-pin-like segment called Henle's loop is present between proximal and the distal tubules. In the following section we shall study structural variations in the vertebrate kidney.


Related Discussions:- Vertebrate kidney

Thymus gland, THYMU S GLAND Flat, bilobed gland located in the medi...

THYMU S GLAND Flat, bilobed gland located in the mediastinal space in front of heart. Well developed in new born child and grows upto puberty but starts degenerating the

Locomotion in echinodermata, Locomotion in Echinodermata Locomotion i...

Locomotion in Echinodermata Locomotion in echinoderms is accomplished through a unique canalicular system which is termed as the water-vascular system. This system is charact

Equivalence point and end point - nutritional biochemistry, Equivalence po...

Equivalence point and end point - Nutritional  Biochemistry? Titrimetric analysis volumetrically measures the amount of reagent, often called a titrant, required to complete a

Explain the transcription and the replication processes, What are similarit...

What are similarities and differences among the transcription process and the replication processes? A DNA polynucleotide chain serves as a template in replication (DNA duplica

What are the pupillary defects, What are the Pupillary defects There ar...

What are the Pupillary defects There are certain deviations  from normal pupillary reflexes which point towards certain specific pathology.

Phytochrome - development of plant, Phytochrome - Development of plant ...

Phytochrome - Development of plant You know that plants capture light energy during photosynthesis, now you are familiarised with another important and interesting role of lig

Phylum, detail study of coelenterata

detail study of coelenterata

Define about skeletal system, Define about Skeletal system Skeletal sy...

Define about Skeletal system Skeletal system provides framework to the body; supports the soft tissues; protects delicate organs. The skeletal system is made up of bones an

Locomotion in annelida, Locomotion in Annelida Before we discuss the ...

Locomotion in Annelida Before we discuss the details of locomotion in annelids, we have to recapitulate the major subdivisions of the phylum Annelida. Phylum Annelida contain

On site sanitation, Introduction: There are different technologies avai...

Introduction: There are different technologies available for dealing with waste water management and excreta.  Some are suitable for dealing off-site sanitation and other can b

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd