Nephron

Looks like

One of a million microscopic filters in each kidney: a tuft of vessels and a long looping tube.

What it does

Filters blood and then takes back what the body still needs.

Keeping it well

Blood pressure and sugar control; nephrons lost to damage are never replaced.

Its parts

• Glomerulus
• Bowman's capsule
• Proximal tubule
• Loop of Henle
• Distal tubule
• Collecting duct

Related conditions

• Acute kidney injury
• Amyloidosis (AL and ATTR)
• Bladder cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• Dehydration & electrolyte disorders
• Diabetes insipidus (arginine vasopressin deficiency)
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Glomerulonephritis
• Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
• Hantavirus infection
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hydronephrosis
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Hypothermia & frostbite
• IgA nephropathy
• Kawasaki disease
• Kidney cancer
• Kidney infection
• Kidney stones
• Lead poisoning
• Leptospirosis (Weil's disease)
• Metabolic syndrome
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Orthostatic hypotension & POTS
• Peripheral artery disease
• Phaeochromocytoma & hyperaldosteronism
• Poisoning & overdose
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Pre-eclampsia
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Renal artery stenosis
• Rhabdomyolysis
• Sepsis
• Shock (circulatory failure)
• SIADH (inappropriate antidiuretic hormone)
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)
• Toxic shock syndrome
• Tuberous sclerosis complex
• Vasculitis (GCA & others)
• Vesicoureteral reflux
• Wilms tumour (nephroblastoma)
• Yellow fever