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Multiple Choice
Approximately how many nephrons are found in each human kidney?
A
About 1 million
B
About 10 million
C
About 100,000
D
About 10,000
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Begin by understanding the structure and function of the nephron. Nephrons are the microscopic functional units of the kidney responsible for filtering blood and forming urine.
Step 2: Recall that the human kidney is highly efficient and contains a large number of nephrons to perform its filtration tasks. This number is consistent across individuals unless affected by disease or injury.
Step 3: Review the typical range of nephron counts in a healthy human kidney. Studies and textbooks in Anatomy & Physiology commonly state that each kidney contains approximately 1 million nephrons.
Step 4: Eliminate the other options based on their numerical values. For example, 10 million nephrons per kidney is far too high, while 100,000 or 10,000 nephrons are far too low to support the kidney's filtration needs.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is 'About 1 million,' as this aligns with the standard anatomical and physiological data for nephron count in a human kidney.