Nephron Anatomy Quiz: Renal Corpuscle, Tubules and Blood Supply

Follow blood into the glomerulus and filtrate out of the renal corpuscle. Keep the vascular pathway separate from the tubular pathway.

8 questions · Estimated 6–8 minutes. Select your answer mentally, then open the explanation to check your reasoning.

1. Which two structures form the renal corpuscle?

  1. Proximal tubule and distal tubule
  2. Nephron loop and collecting duct
  3. Renal pelvis and ureter
  4. Glomerulus and glomerular (Bowman's) capsule
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Answer: D. Glomerulus and glomerular (Bowman's) capsule

The renal corpuscle consists of the glomerular capillary tuft and the surrounding glomerular capsule. Filtration moves fluid from glomerular blood into the capsular space.

2. Filtrate leaving the capsular space normally enters which tubular segment first?

  1. Distal convoluted tubule
  2. Proximal convoluted tubule
  3. Collecting duct
  4. Thick ascending limb
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Answer: B. Proximal convoluted tubule

Filtrate enters the proximal convoluted tubule at the urinary pole of the renal corpuscle. It then proceeds through the nephron loop and distal tubule before reaching the collecting system.

3. Which vessel carries blood directly into the glomerular capillary tuft?

  1. Efferent arteriole
  2. Renal vein
  3. Afferent arteriole
  4. Interlobar vein
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Answer: C. Afferent arteriole

The afferent arteriole brings blood into the glomerulus. Blood leaves through the efferent arteriole, which then supplies peritubular capillaries or the vasa recta, depending on the nephron type.

4. Renal corpuscles are normally located in which region?

  1. Renal pelvis
  2. Renal medulla only
  3. Renal cortex
  4. Renal sinus fat
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Answer: C. Renal cortex

Renal corpuscles lie in the cortex, including those of juxtamedullary nephrons near the corticomedullary boundary. Nephron loops and collecting ducts extend into the medulla; renal corpuscles do not.

5. Which cells form the visceral layer of the glomerular capsule?

  1. Podocytes
  2. Macula densa cells
  3. Collecting duct principal cells
  4. Juxtaglomerular granular cells
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Answer: A. Podocytes

Podocytes cover the glomerular capillaries. Their interdigitating foot processes form filtration slits bridged by slit diaphragms. The filtration barrier also includes the glomerular basement membrane and fenestrated capillary endothelium.

6. The macula densa is a specialized group of tubular cells that primarily senses:

  1. Oxygen in the renal vein
  2. Glucose stored in the renal pelvis
  3. Protein concentration in the ureter
  4. Tubular sodium chloride delivery
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Answer: D. Tubular sodium chloride delivery

The macula densa lies where the terminal thick ascending limb transitions toward the distal tubule near the vascular pole. It senses tubular sodium chloride delivery and participates in tubuloglomerular feedback and regulation of renin release.

7. Renin is released primarily by which cells?

  1. Podocytes
  2. Juxtaglomerular granular cells
  3. Type II pneumocytes
  4. Proximal tubular brush-border cells
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Answer: B. Juxtaglomerular granular cells

Juxtaglomerular granular cells are modified smooth muscle cells located mainly in the afferent arteriolar wall. They release renin in response to signals including reduced renal perfusion pressure, beta-1 sympathetic stimulation, and macula densa signaling.

8. Which nephron type has long loops extending deep into the medulla and is especially important for concentrating urine?

  1. Superficial cortical nephrons
  2. Nephrons without glomeruli
  3. Juxtamedullary nephrons
  4. Nephrons located in the renal pelvis
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Answer: C. Juxtamedullary nephrons

Juxtamedullary nephrons have corpuscles near the corticomedullary boundary and long loops extending into the medulla. These loops help establish the medullary osmotic gradient, while the associated vasa recta help preserve it.

Further reading