glomerulus

(glō meryo̵̅o̅ ləs)

noun pl. glomeruli

any cluster or structure of blood vessels or nerves; esp., any of the tiny clusters of capillaries in the kidney which act as filters, initiating the formation of urine

Origin: ModL: see glomerule

Related Forms:

See glomerulus in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. glo·mer·u·li (-līˌ)
Anatomy
  1. A small cluster or mass of blood vessels or nerve fibers.
  2. A tuft of capillaries situated within a Bowman's capsule at the end of a renal tubule in the vertebrate kidney that filters waste products from the blood and thus initiates urine formation.

Origin:

Origin: New Latin

Origin: , diminutive of Latin glomus, glomer-, ball

.

Learn more about glomerulus

link/cite print suggestion box