alleryStart learning →What role do mesangial cells play in the glomerulus?
AThey secrete renin into the afferent arteriole
BThey line the capsule as simple squamous cells
CThey anchor the podocytes to the capillary wall
DThey contract to regulate the filtration rate
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. They contract to regulate the filtration rate
1. Filtration is regulated by the fenestrae, the podocyte slits, membrane charge and the basement membrane.
2. Mesangial cells sit within the filtration membrane and are contractile.
3. By contracting they reduce the surface available for filtration and so help regulate the filtration rate.
4. Renin secretion is the job of the juxtaglomerular cells in the wall of the afferent arteriole.
_Source: OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology (CC BY 4.0), Ch 25 "The Urinary System", section 25.4 Microscopic Anatomy of the Kidney_
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