Structure of Bowman’s Capsule:
Bowman’s capsule is a cup-shaped, double-walled structure present at the beginning of a nephron in the kidney.
– It surrounds a network of blood capillaries called the glomerulus.
– It has two layers: an inner layer and an outer layer.
– The space between the two layers is called the capsular space.
– The inner layer is thin and closely fits around the glomerulus.
– It is located in the cortex region of the kidney.
Bowman’s capsule together with the glomerulus forms the renal corpuscle.
Function of Bowman’s Capsule:
The main function of Bowman’s capsule is ultrafiltration of blood.
– Blood enters the glomerulus under high pressure.
– Water, salts, glucose, amino acids and urea pass into the capsular space.
– Large molecules like proteins and blood cells do not pass through.
– The filtered fluid is called glomerular filtrate.
– This filtrate then moves into the renal tubule for further processing.
Conclusion:
Bowman’s capsule is a double-walled cup-like structure that surrounds the glomerulus. Its function is to filter blood and collect the glomerular filtrate, which is the first step in urine formation.