Question

Which of the following is the functional unit of the kidney?

• A. Nephron
• B. Neuron
• C. Axon
• D. Neurilemma

Hint:

Remember to differentiate between similar-sounding biological terms. Nephron relates to the kidney (excretory system), while neuron relates to the nervous system.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

A simple memory hook here is the prefix "nephro-," which always refers to the kidney, as seen in words like nephrology (the study of kidneys) and nephritis (kidney inflammation).

1. Nephron: Matches the kidney directly through this prefix, and is the tiny filtering unit that performs urine formation.
2. Neuron, Axon, Neurilemma: All three of these terms come from the vocabulary of the nervous system, describing nerve cells and their parts, and none of them carry out any filtering or excretory role.

Since only the nephron is tied to kidney function, it must be the functional unit being asked about.

Therefore, the correct answer is Nephron.