Efferent arteriole
Efferent arteriole is a small artery that carries blood away from the glomerulus. After blood has passed through the glomerulus, it is carried away by the efferent arteriole. This is different from the afferent arteriole which carries blood towards the glomerulus. The efferent arteriole plays a crucial role in maintaining the blood pressure within the kidney.
Function[edit | edit source]
The efferent arteriole carries blood that has been filtered by the glomerulus to the peritubular capillaries and the vasa recta. These are networks of tiny blood vessels that surround the tubules and ducts in the kidney. The efferent arteriole, therefore, plays a crucial role in the process of urine formation.
The efferent arteriole also plays a role in regulating blood pressure within the kidney. It does this by constricting or dilating to adjust the pressure of blood flowing into the peritubular capillaries and the vasa recta.
Clinical significance[edit | edit source]
Dysfunction of the efferent arteriole can lead to various kidney disorders. For example, constriction of the efferent arteriole can lead to increased pressure in the glomerulus, which can in turn lead to glomerular diseases such as glomerulonephritis and glomerulosclerosis.
See also[edit | edit source]
| Efferent arteriole Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
