Question

Podocytes are the cells present in
(a) Cortex of nephron
(b) The inner wall of Bowman’s capsule
(c) Proximal convoluted tubule
(d) Wall of glomerular capillaries

Answer 1

Hint: These cells are present in a cup-like structure located at the beginning of a nephron, named after a British surgeon and anatomist.

Complete answer: The epithelial lining of Bowman's capsule is made up of the podocyte cells, through which blood filtration takes place. These cells wrap around the capillaries of the glomerulus with long processes or foot projections known as pedicels and leave slits between them.
Blood gets filtered through these slits, each one of which is known as a filtration slit.
A well-developed endoplasmic reticulum and a large Golgi apparatus are found in Podocytes. This means that it has a high capacity for protein synthesis.

Additional Information:
1. Podocytes have primary processes that wrap around the glomerular capillaries. They are called trabeculae.
2. A secondary process called pedicels is present in the trabeculae. Further pedicels interlock and give rise to thin gaps called the filtration slits.
3. These slits are covered by slit diaphragms and are composed of several cell-surface proteins including nephrin, podocalyxin, and P-cadherin.

So, the correct answer is ‘ The inner wall of Bowman’s capsule’.

Note:
1. The surface area of the cells is increased by the pedicels. Thus they enable efficient ultrafiltration.
2. Podocytes play an important role in the regulation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The closure of filtration slits is caused when podocytes contract. By reducing the surface area available for filtration this decreases the GFR
3. Smaller molecules such as water, salts, and sugars are filtered as the first step in the formation of urine.