The Nephron

One million per kidney. Follow the filtrate: 180 L filtered a day, 1.5 L leaves as urine. Click any segment.

Segments

The nephron is the kidney's filtering unit — about a million per kidney. Blood is filtered at the glomerulus, then the tubule reclaims what the body needs before the rest leaves as urine. Tap a segment to explore it.

Glomerulus

renal cortex

300mOsm/kg — tubular fluid at segment exit

Flow speed

ADH (vasopressin) 60%

Osmolalitytubular fluid

503006009001200

Interstitium runs 300 mOsm in cortex to ~1200 in the inner medulla — the countercurrent multiplier's gradient.

Guided tour

mOsm/kg — tubular fluid at segment exit