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Glite Dictionary
Bowman's capsule

Bowman's capsule

6.7
A thin sac that surrounds tiny blood vessels in the kidney and helps filter blood to make urine
  • noun
  • /ˈboʊmənz ˈkæspəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cápsula de Bowman
  • The initial step in urine formation takes place within the Bowman's capsule.

Examples

  • Damage to the Bowman's capsule can impair the kidney's ability to filter blood properly.

  • Under a microscope, you can clearly see the Bowman's capsule surrounding the glomerulus.

  • The Bowman's capsule plays a crucial role in kidney function.

  • Many nephrons contain a Bowman's capsule surrounding the glomerulus.

  • Damage to the Bowman's capsule can impair the kidney's ability to filter blood properly.

  • The initial step in urine formation takes place within the Bowman's capsule.

  • Under a microscope, you can clearly see the Bowman's capsule surrounding the glomerulus.

Synonyms

glomerular capsule
vsBowman's capsule
  • Specialized
8.1

A thin two-layer wall around a small knot of blood vessels in the kidney that starts filtering blood

is the identical structure term but uses an eponymous name
capsula glomeruli
vsBowman's capsule
  • Specialized
9.9

A thin two-layer covering around the glomerulus, the small ball of blood vessels in a kidney that filters blood

is the same structure term but given in common English naming

Surface Forms

Bowman's capsule singular
Bowman's capsules plural

Morphology

Bowman's + capsule

This is an eponymous anatomical term: 'Bowman's' is a possessive proper name that carries no lexical meaning for learners, while 'capsule' does indicate a sac or membranous layer. A B1 learner who knows 'capsule' might infer it is some anatomical sac, but they would not be able to derive the specific kidney location or filtration function from the constituents alone, so the phrase is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Bowman's capsule is named after a doctor from the 1800s, William Bowman, and the word capsule simply means a small 'container' or 'case'. The name gives a clear picture: it is a thin, cup-like sac that sits around the kidney's tiny blood 'filter' and helps form urine.