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Glite Dictionary
nephron

nephron

8.0
A small part of a kidney that filters blood to make urine
  • noun
  • /ˈnɛf.rɒn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : nefrón
  • Each nephron consists of a tubule and a glomerulus, playing a crucial role in filtering blood to produce urine.
  • distal nephron
  • nephron loss
  • number of nephrons

Examples

  • Distal nephron acidification is stimulated by aldosterone, secretion of which is partly linked to increased sodium absorption.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Declining numbers of nephrons result in decreased filtration and glomerular filtration rate (GFR).

    Academic text (2012)

  • This process is proposed to be initiated by the reduced number of nephrons in individuals with a small body size at birth.

    Academic text (2002)

  • In turn, glomerular sclerosis causes further loss of nephrons and a self-perpetuating cycle of rising blood pressure and further nephron loss.

    Academic text (2002)

  • In dRTA, our knowledge of ion-transport mechanisms along the nephron, based on in vivo and in vitro laboratory studies, has enabled us to understand what can and does go wrong.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Loss of functional nephrons in chronic renal failure leads to uraemia, which is widely thought to be due to the accumulation of waste products of protein metabolism in the body fluids.

    Academic text (1991)

  • When the nephron is damaged, it can lead to a decline in kidney function and various health issues.

  • The body's ability to filter waste depends on the health of millions of nephrons in the kidneys.

Synonyms

uriniferous tubule
vsnephron
  • Specialized
8.6

Small tube in the kidney that removes waste from the blood and makes urine

is the specific unit where blood is filtered to form urine

How Big

urinary system
  • Specialized
1 3.8
urinary tract
  • Specialized
11 3.4
kidney
376 1.6
nephron
  • Specialized
8.0

Surface Forms

nephron singular
nephrons plural

Morphology

nephron = nephr + on

Formed from a Greek combining form ('nephr-') plus the classical suffix '-on'; the components are not productive standalone English words, so learners cannot derive the medical meaning from them.

Etymology

Nephron comes from the Greek root nephr- meaning 'kidney', so a nephron is the small part of the kidney that filters blood to make urine. Think of each nephron as a tiny filter or worker inside the kidney that cleans the blood.