ultrafiltration

define ultrafiltration

this is filtering under pressure

explain the process of ultra filtration

• the blood enters the bowmen’s capsule from the afferent arteriole ( a branch off the renal artery) and flows through a bundle of capillaries called the glomerulus. It leaves through the efferent arteriole

• As the afferent arteriole is wider than the efferent this causes high hydrostatic pressure which forces molecules small out of the fenestrations in the endothelia cells which line the blood capillary ( ions urea hormones vitamins glucose ) out however larger molecules cant ( the bit about large molecules also on mark scheme) fit through ( red+ white blood cells and large proteins

• Next the small molecules pass through the basement membrane which is in between the endothelial cells and the podocytes which line the bowmen’s capsule these have footlike extensions which wrap around the blood vessel they have gaps which allow the molecules to move through into the bowmen’s capsule

• the liquid in the bowmen’s capsule is called filtrate

which arteriole carries blood to the bowmen’s capsule

afferent

which arteriole carries blood away from the bowmen’s capsule

efferent

which arteriole is wider efferent or afferent

the afferent

what is the bundle of capillaries associated with the bowmen’s capsule called

glomerulus