Nephron Structure (Edexcel IGCSE Biology): Revision Note

Nephrons

• The kidney can be divided into three main regions: the cortex, the medulla and the renal pelvis

• Nephrons are the functional units of the kidney. Each kidney has around one million nephrons

• The nephron is responsible for filtering the blood and forming urine

• Some parts of the nephron are located in the cortex, and some parts are located in the medulla: 

  • The Bowman’s capsule, glomerulus, PCT, and DCT are found in the cortex, which is the outermost layer of the kidney

  • The loop of Henle and collecting duct are found mainly in the medulla, the inner region of the kidney

• The renal pelvis is a funnel-shaped cavity that collects urine from the collecting ducts and passes it into the ureter

The structure of a nephron

• The main parts of a nephron are:

  • Bowman's capsule, which surround the glomerulus

  • Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)

  • Loop of Henle

  • Distal convoluted tubule (DCT)

  • Collecting duct