• Each kidney contains?thousands?of?tiny tubes, known as?nephrons
• The nephron is the?functional unit?of the kidney – the nephrons are responsible for the?formation of urine

The location and structure of a nephron

• There is also a network of?blood vessels?associated with each nephron:
  • Within the Bowman’s capsule?of each nephron is a structure known as the?glomerulus
  • Each glomerulus is supplied with blood by an?afferent arteriole?(which carries blood from the?renal artery)
  • The capillaries of the glomerulus rejoin to form an?efferent arteriole
  • Blood then flows from the efferent arteriole into a network of capillaries that run closely alongside the rest of the nephron
  • Blood from these capillaries eventually flows into the?renal vein

The blood supply associated with a nephron