BRAINCAKEBowman's Capsule
This is a filtering unit that encloses a network of 'leaky' capillaries called the glomerulus. The walls of the Bowman's capsule are made from specialised epithelial cells called podocytes. Podocytes have finger-like extensions called pedicels that wrap around the capillaries and form slits to allow blood plasma from the glomerulus to pass through to the lumen of the Bowman's capsule. A basement membrane creates a fine mesh of collagen and glycoproteins to ensure molecules with a relative molecular mass of greater than 69,000 do not get through. The process of filtration that takes place in the Bowman's capsule is called ultrafiltration.
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Key terms in this lesson
- Glomerulus
- A network of capillaries within the Bowman's capsule where blood is filtered under pressure.
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All 33 lessons in Homeostasis · All OCR A-level Biology topics