221 Human Body Parts Encyclopedia

The Bowman’s capsule extends into nephron tubule. There are four main tubules: the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT), the loop of Henle, the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) and the collecting tube. The tubules are the site for extensive re-absorption of useful plasma solutes. The useful solutes include: sugars and sodium; part of water is also reabsorbed […]

The part of nephrons in which the blood plasma is filtered is the glomerulus which is also called Malpighian body. It is a network of capillaries. These capillaries are an extension of the renal artery. The blood plasma is forced into this capillary network under high pressure for filtration. The rate at which blood is

The kidneys are connected with two major blood vessels: the renal artery and the renal vein. In the kidney, the renal arteries divide into several arterioles. These arterioles form a mesh-like network in the glomerulus. The blood under high pressure enters this network and is filtered through the capillary network of the glomerulus. These capillaries

A kidney consists of several excretory units, called nephrons, that work together to produce urine. They are called the filtering (functional) units of the urinary system. The main parts of the nephrons are: the glomerulus or the Malpighian body, Bowman’s capsule, proximal convoluted tubule, loop of Henle, distal convoluted tube and collecting tube, which work

Urinary Bladder The urinary bladder is a storage organ (elastic in nature) of the excretory system of the liquid waste in the form of urine. It is located behind the pubic bone in the pelvis. The bladder muscles contract while urination. This contraction of muscles opens two sphincters or valves at the end of the

The ureter is hollow tube-like structure which makes a bridge between the kidney and the urinary bladder. Each kidney is connected with a ureter. Ureters carry urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder. The length of the ureter ranges from 10-12 inches. Each ureter enters the bladder through a tunnel in the bladder wall,

Kidneys are dark reddish-brown coloured, bean-shaped organs of the excretory system, located in the back of the abdomen. Kidneys filter liquid waste and work as a disposal system of the body. Each kidney is connected with a renal artery and a renal vein. Nephrons are the basic functional units of a kidney. A kidney houses

The excretory system is an organ system that helps eliminate the liquid waste from the body. This organ system consists of the following organs: a pair of kidneys, ureter, bladder and urethra. Each organ of this system performs a specific task. The kidneys form the liquid waste (urine) by filtration of plasma. The ureter carries

The islets of Langerhans are the endocrine part of the pancreas. These are the clusters of prism-shaped cells that release a hormone known as insulin which is required for the conversion of excess sugars into glycogen in the liver and muscles. Another hormone released by this gland is glucagon which is an antagonist of insulin.

The adrenal glands are located on the upper part of each kidney. The adrenal glands consist of an outer part and inner part. The outer part is called the cortex, and the inner part is called medulla. The cortex secrets a group of hormones called cortin, and the medulla secrets a hormone called adrenalin. Cortin

The pinkish-grey coloured gland located at the upper part of the chest is the thymus gland. It is one of the main organs of the immune system. At birth, this gland is quite small but as growth progresses its size increases. It grows till a person attains puberty and then it shrinks again. Its functions

The parathyroid glands are four small glands placed two on each side of the thyroid gland in the neck. The hormone secreted by the parathyroid gland is parathormone which controls the amount of calcium in blood and bone. Over-secretion of parathormone causes calcium and phosphorous depletion from the bones and the teeth, and increase in

The thyroid gland is located just below the larynx. The principal hormone secreted by this gland is the thyroxine hormone which regulates the metabolism in the human body, such as maintaining normal blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, muscle tone and reproductive functions. The thyroid gland plays a vital role in the growth of bones and

The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland that lies at the base of the skull, in the brain. It is considered as the master gland because it produces hormones that regulate hormones produced by other glands and exerts considerable control over the various bodily functions. The gland produces various hormones as–anti diuretic hormone (ADH), growth

The pineal gland is a small endocrine gland situated in the upper part of the brain. It looks like pine cone (name derived from the Latin word pinea) and is red in colour. It secretes a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin controls the skin colouration and affects the reproductive process.