Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Which structure, consisting of a ball of capillaries, is surrounded by Bowman's capsule in the nephron?
A
Proximal convoluted tubule
B
Glomerulus
C
Loop of Henle
D
Distal convoluted tubule
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Begin by understanding the anatomy of the nephron, which is the functional unit of the kidney. The nephron consists of several structures, including Bowman's capsule, the glomerulus, the proximal convoluted tubule, the loop of Henle, and the distal convoluted tubule.
Step 2: Focus on Bowman's capsule, which is a cup-shaped structure that surrounds a ball of capillaries. This ball of capillaries is known as the glomerulus. Together, Bowman's capsule and the glomerulus form the renal corpuscle, which is responsible for the filtration of blood.
Step 3: Recall the function of the glomerulus. It is a network of capillaries that filters blood based on size and charge, allowing water, ions, and small molecules to pass into Bowman's capsule while retaining larger molecules like proteins and blood cells.
Step 4: Differentiate the glomerulus from other nephron structures. The proximal convoluted tubule, loop of Henle, and distal convoluted tubule are involved in reabsorption and secretion processes, but they do not directly participate in the initial filtration of blood like the glomerulus does.
Step 5: Conclude that the structure surrounded by Bowman's capsule is the glomerulus, as it is the site of blood filtration within the nephron.