Juxtamedullary nephron
Juxtamedullary Nephron
Juxtamedullary nephrons (pronounced: jux-ta-med-uh-lary nef-rons) are a type of nephron, the functional unit of the kidney. The term "juxtamedullary" is derived from the Latin words "juxta", meaning "near", and "medulla", referring to the inner region of an organ.
Structure
Juxtamedullary nephrons are characterized by their location in the kidney. They are situated close to the renal medulla, with their renal corpuscles located near the medullary pyramid. These nephrons have long loops of Henle that extend deep into the medulla, allowing for the concentration and dilution of urine.
Function
The primary function of juxtamedullary nephrons is to regulate the concentration of salt and water in the body. They play a crucial role in the production of concentrated urine, a process that is essential for maintaining the body's water balance.
Related Terms
- Nephron: The functional unit of the kidney, responsible for filtering blood and producing urine.
- Renal medulla: The innermost part of the kidney, where urine is concentrated.
- Renal corpuscle: The initial filtering component of a nephron.
- Loop of Henle: A section of the nephron tubule responsible for concentrating urine.
- Water balance: The balance of water intake and output in the body.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Juxtamedullary nephron
- Wikipedia's article - Juxtamedullary nephron
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski