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Where does filtration occur in a nephron?
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renal system
Diagram showing the location of the kidneys in the abdominal cavity and their attachment to major arteries and veins.
In the nephron, filtration occurs within the renal corpuscle.12
The renal corpuscle is composed of two primary structures:
* Glomerulus: A knot of microscopic capillaries where blood pressure forces plasmaâexcluding large macromolecules such as proteinsâout of the blood vessels.13
* Bowmanâs capsule: A double-walled, cuplike structure that surrounds the glomerulus and collects the filtered fluid, known as capsular urine.13
Fluid filters out of the glomerular capillaries through the inner wall of the capsule and into the nephron tubule, where it undergoes further processing to eventually form urine.32