malpighian corpuscle
- noun
- /mælˈpɪdʒiən ˈkɔrpəsl/
- Specialized
- Each malpighian corpuscle filters blood in the nephron.
Examples
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The malpighian corpuscle plays a crucial role in the filtration process within the kidney.
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Scientists examined the structure of the malpighian corpuscle under a microscope to better understand kidney function.
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Diseases affecting the malpighian corpuscle can lead to serious renal complications.
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The malpighian corpuscle plays a crucial role in kidney function.
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The malpighian corpuscle is essential for filtering blood within the nephron of the kidney.
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In the nephron, each malpighian corpuscle plays a vital role in the kidney's blood filtration process.
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Researchers focused on the malpighian corpuscle to study how kidneys filter waste from the blood.
Synonyms
A small part of the kidney that filters blood to start making urine
A small part of the kidney at the start of a tiny tube that filters blood
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a specialized anatomical eponym: 'Malpighian' is a proper name and 'corpuscle' means a small body or cell, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would not be able to infer the precise kidney structure or its filtration function. The meaning is technical and language-specific rather than compositionally predictable from the parts, making it opaque to learners.
Etymology
Malpighian corpuscle comes from the Italian scientist Marcello Malpighi, who first described these small parts of the kidney in the 1600s. The word corpuscle means 'small body', so malpighian + corpuscle literally means 'Malpighi's small body', which fits because this is the tiny filtering part of the kidney.