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Related Concept Videos

Glomerular Filtration01:15

Glomerular Filtration

The filtration membrane in the renal system is a highly specialized structure essential for filtering blood. It consists of glomerular capillaries and podocytes, forming a selective barrier that permits the passage of water and small solutes while restricting most plasma proteins and blood cells.
Components of the Filtration Membrane
The filtration process involves three key layers: the glomerular endothelial cells, the basement membrane, and the podocyte-formed filtration slits.
Renal Corpuscle01:20

Renal Corpuscle

The glomerulus and Bowman's capsule are two essential components of the nephron, which is the functional unit of the kidney. These microscopic structures play a critical role in the process of blood filtration to produce urine.
Glomerulus: Structure and Function
The glomerulus is a tiny, intricate network of capillaries located at the beginning of the nephron. It's enveloped by the Bowman's capsule and receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole, which divides into numerous capillaries...
Glomerular Filtration: Net Filtration Pressure01:26

Glomerular Filtration: Net Filtration Pressure

Glomerular filtration, a key process in the kidneys, is regulated by three main pressures: Glomerular blood hydrostatic pressure (GBHP), Capsular hydrostatic pressure (CHP), and Blood colloid osmotic pressure (BCOP).
GBHP, with an average value of 55 mmHg, promotes filtration by pushing water and solutes through the filtration membrane. This is balanced by two opposing forces: CHP, a "back pressure" exerted against the filtration membrane by fluid already in the capsular space and renal tubule,...
Glomerular Filtration Rate and its Regulation01:28

Glomerular Filtration Rate and its Regulation

The Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) is a measure of kidney function, reflecting the volume of filtrate formed per minute in the kidneys. On average, GFR is approximately 125 mL/min in males and 105 mL/min in females. Maintaining a relatively constant GFR is essential for the kidneys to effectively regulate body fluid homeostasis and maintain extracellular stability.
GFR regulation involves two primary intrinsic controls: the myogenic and tubuloglomerular feedback mechanisms.
The myogenic...
Basal Lamina are the Specialized Form of ECM01:03

Basal Lamina are the Specialized Form of ECM

The basal lamina is a thin extracellular layer that lies underneath the cells and separates them from other tissues. The three layers of the basal lamina are lamina lucida, lamina densa and lamina reticularis. The basal lamina, a mixture of glycoproteins and collagen, provides an attachment site for the epithelium, separating it from underlying connective tissue. The framework of basal lamina has other essential proteins such as laminins mesh, perlecan, entactin, and type IV collagen.
Proteins...
Filtration and Urine Formation01:32

Filtration and Urine Formation

The function of the kidneys is to filter, reabsorb, secrete, and excrete. Every day the kidneys filter nearly 180 liters of blood, initially removing water and solutes but ultimately returning nearly all filtrates into circulation with the help of osmoregulatory hormones. This process removes wastes and toxins but is also crucial to maintain water and electrolyte levels. Most of these functions are performed by the tiny but numerous nephrons contained within the kidneys.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

An Efficient Sieving Method to Isolate Intact Glomeruli from Adult Rat Kidney
10:14

An Efficient Sieving Method to Isolate Intact Glomeruli from Adult Rat Kidney

Published on: November 1, 2018

Glomerular basement membrane composition and the filtration barrier.

Jeffrey H Miner1

  • 1Renal Division, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Ave., Box 8126, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. minerj@wustl.edu

Pediatric Nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
|February 18, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Mutations in genes encoding key glomerular basement membrane proteins cause kidney disease. This highlights the GBM

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Quantifying Glomerular Permeability of Fluorescent Macromolecules Using 2-Photon Microscopy in Munich Wistar Rats
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Quantifying Glomerular Permeability of Fluorescent Macromolecules Using 2-Photon Microscopy in Munich Wistar Rats

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Assessment of Kidney Function in Mouse Models of Glomerular Disease
09:16

Assessment of Kidney Function in Mouse Models of Glomerular Disease

Published on: June 30, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

An Efficient Sieving Method to Isolate Intact Glomeruli from Adult Rat Kidney
10:14

An Efficient Sieving Method to Isolate Intact Glomeruli from Adult Rat Kidney

Published on: November 1, 2018

Quantifying Glomerular Permeability of Fluorescent Macromolecules Using 2-Photon Microscopy in Munich Wistar Rats
11:13

Quantifying Glomerular Permeability of Fluorescent Macromolecules Using 2-Photon Microscopy in Munich Wistar Rats

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Assessment of Kidney Function in Mouse Models of Glomerular Disease
09:16

Assessment of Kidney Function in Mouse Models of Glomerular Disease

Published on: June 30, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is crucial for kidney filtration.
  • It comprises specific proteins like laminin-521 and collagen IV.
  • Genetic defects in GBM proteins lead to kidney diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of GBM proteins in kidney function.
  • To understand the genetic basis of glomerular diseases related to GBM defects.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of genetic mutations in GBM protein-encoding genes.
  • Studying the effects of these mutations in human and mouse models.

Main Results:

  • Mutations in LAMB2, COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5 genes cause glomerular disease.
  • Lama5 gene mutations in podocytes induce proteinuria and renal failure in mice.

Conclusions:

  • The GBM is essential for a functional glomerular filtration barrier.
  • Genetic mutations affecting GBM composition severely impair kidney function.