nephron

American  

[nef-ron] / ˈnɛf rɒn /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

1. the filtering and excretory unit of the kidney, consisting of the glomerulus and tubules.

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nephron British  

/ ˈnɛfrɒn /

noun

1. any of the minute urine-secreting tubules that form the functional unit of the kidneys

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nephron Scientific  

/ nĕf′rŏn /

1. The functional unit of the kidney, in which waste products are filtered from the blood and urine is produced. The nephron consists of a system of tubules in close association with a network of blood vessels. As fluid that is filtered through the glomerulus of the nephron enters the tubules, its composition is gradually changed by the absorption and secretion of solutes, and it eventually leaves the nephron as urine.

2. See more at Bowman's capsule glomerulus loop of Henle

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Etymology

Origin of nephron

1930–35; < German; alteration of Greek nephrós kidney

Example Sentences

Using UniMat, the team successfully produced kidney organoids featuring nephron structures and blood vessels similar to those found in human kidneys from human-induced pluripotent stem cells, achieving consistent quality and greatly improving production efficiency.

From Science Daily • Nov. 25, 2024

This approach will facilitate the creation of patient-specific kidney disease models and enhance efforts to identify nephron targeted drugs.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2024

The researchers were able to efficiently differentiate the hiPSCs into the kidney proximal tubule, the type of nephron in the kidney that is impaired in infantile cystinosis, as well as in other kidney diseases.

From Science Daily • Dec. 11, 2023

The DCT, which is the last part of the nephron, connects and empties its contents into collecting ducts that line the medullary pyramids.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

It is distributed in smaller vessels until it reaches each nephron in capillaries.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013