The functional unit of the kidney is the

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about the functional unit of the kidney, so we need to identify the structure that performs filtration and urine formation.
Option 1: nephron. The nephron is the basic functional unit of the kidney, responsible for filtering blood, reabsorbing substances, and concentrating urine through its tubule and associated structures. This makes it the correct choice.
Option 2: glomerulus. The glomerulus is a component of the nephron—the network of capillaries where filtration begins—but it by itself is not the whole functional unit. Thinking of the glomerulus alone as the kidney’s functional unit would miss the essential tubule processes that follow filtration.
Option 3: medulla. The medulla is a renal region (inner portion) involved in concentrating urine, but it is not a functional unit by itself. The kidney’s operations depend on the nephron spanning cortex and medulla, not on the medulla alone.
Option 4: juxtaglomerular apparatus. This is a specialized structure at the end of the tubule near the glomerulus involved in regulating blood pressure and filtration rate. While important, it is a component within the nephron's regulating elements, not the entire functional unit.
In summary, while the glomerulus and juxtaglomerular apparatus are important parts of nephron function and the medulla is a renal region, the term that best fits the question as the fundamental functional unit of the kidney is the nephron itself.

ANSC20001_2025_SM1 Week 8: Urinary system (example MCQs)

The functional unit of the kidney is the

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