Glomerulus

Definition

The glomerulus is a network of capillaries located at the beginning of a nephron in the kidney, where blood filtration occurs. It serves as the initial step in the process of urine formation by filtering blood plasma.

Related terms

Nephron:

The functional unit of the kidney that processes blood to form urine, consisting of a glomerulus and its associated tubules.

Bowman's Capsule:

A cup-like sac at the beginning of a nephron that encases the glomerulus and collects the filtrate that passes through it.

Filtration:

The process by which fluids and soluble substances are separated from larger molecules or particles; in the kidney, this process occurs at the glomerulus