2.71 Ultrafiltration

• Nephron is the structure which carries out the filtration of our blood.
• The filtration of blood begins with the arrival of blood in the afferent arteriole.
• The blood is under high pressure.
• The blood vessel starts to branch and become much smaller. This coiled structure is known as the glomerulus.
• The blood vessel coming out of the Bowman's capsule has a smaller diameter than the blood vessel going in.
• The blood pressure increases in the glomerulus.
• The high pressure forces the liquid within blood (plasma) out of the blood vessel.
• Plasma contains water, salts, amino acids, glucose and urea.
• The plasma is then referred to as the glomerula filtrate.