Mesangium
Mesangium
Mesangium (pronunciation: meh-SAN-gee-um) is a specialized structure in the kidney that is integral to the function of the glomerulus.
Etymology
The term "Mesangium" is derived from the Greek words "mesos" meaning middle, and "angeion" which means vessel. This is in reference to the mesangium's location and function in the kidney.
Function
The mesangium is composed of mesangial cells and extracellular matrix. It provides structural support to the glomerular capillaries, regulates their surface area for filtration, and phagocytoses macromolecules that are trapped in the glomerular basement membrane.
Related Terms
- Glomerulus: A network of tiny blood vessels in the kidney where the filtration of blood takes place.
- Mesangial cells: Specialized cells in the mesangium that have phagocytic and contractile properties.
- Extracellular matrix: A complex network of proteins and carbohydrates that provides structural and biochemical support to the surrounding cells.
- Glomerular basement membrane: A part of the kidney's filtration barrier which prevents the passage of large proteins and blood cells into the urine.
Pathology
In certain kidney diseases such as IgA nephropathy and diabetic nephropathy, the mesangium can become excessively proliferative or accumulate excessive extracellular matrix, leading to impaired kidney function.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Mesangium
- Wikipedia's article - Mesangium
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