Step 1: Filtration by the Glomerulus:

Imagine a blood-filtering station. That's essentially what the first part of the nephron, called the glomerulus, acts like. It's a ball of tiny capillaries with a special filtration membrane. Blood pressure pushes blood through these capillaries, and the membrane acts like a sieve.

• What gets through? Water, along with small molecules like glucose, salts, and waste products like urea. This filtered fluid is called filtrate.

• What stays behind? Blood cells and proteins are too large to squeeze through the gaps in the membrane and stay in the bloodstream.

  
  

Step 2: Reabsorption and Secretion in the Renal Tubule:

The filtrate then travels down a long, winding tubule lined with specialized cells. This tubule is where the real magic happens.

• Reabsorption: Most of the filtrate, which contains essential elements like water, glucose, and salts, is reabsorbed back into the bloodstream. These cells actively pump these substances across the tubule wall and back into the blood.

• Secretion: The tubule also plays a role in fine-tuning your body's chemistry. It secretes waste products like creatinine and excess hydrogen ions from the blood into the filtrate.

  
  

The Final Product: Urine:

By the time the filtrate reaches the end of the tubule, it's transformed into urine. This waste product contains water, urea, creatinine, and other substances your body doesn't need. Urine then flows through collecting ducts to the ureters, bladder, and eventually out of your body.

Nephrons: Maintaining Balance:

Nephrons are constantly working to maintain a delicate balance in your body. They filter out waste while keeping essential components like water and electrolytes in your blood. This intricate process ensures your body functions properly and stays healthy.

Points:

• There are two main types of nephrons: cortical nephrons located in the outer region of the kidney and juxtamedullary nephrons found closer to the inner region. They differ slightly in their structure and function.

• The reabsorption process in the renal tubule is finely controlled by hormones like ADH (antidiuretic hormone) which helps regulate water balance.