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Why are the glomerulus and Bowmanâs capsule called a renal corpuscle?
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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.
The glomerulus and Bowmanâs capsule are collectively referred to as the renal corpuscle because they function together as the primary filtration unit of the vertebrate nephron.12
In this structure, the glomerulusâa knot of microscopic capillariesâis enclosed by the double-walled, cuplike Bowmanâs capsule. This arrangement allows blood pressure to force plasma, excluding large macromolecules like proteins, out of the capillaries and into the capsule. This filtered fluid, known as capsular urine, then enters the nephron tubule for further processing, marking the initial step in the formation of urine within the kidney.12