Juxtaglomerular appratus is important for monitoring blood pressure, blood flow, electrolyte balance through the controlling and managing the Renin angiotensin aldosteron system (RAAS).
What is Juxtaglomerular Apparatus?
The word Juxtaglomerular appratus comes from the two latin words, juxta and glomerular. Juxta means near of something. So it means, the structure that is located near the glomerulus.
Juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA) is located where the afferent and efferent arteriole enter and exit from the glomerulus. It serve as a communication medium of nephron tubule and renal blood vessels to adjust fitration process. It is specifically located between the afferent, efferent arteriole and distal convoluted tubule.
Juxtaglomerular apparatus is composed of juxtaglomerular (granular) cells, macula densa cells, and extraglomerular mesangial cells.
Functions of Juxtaglomerular Apparatus
Regulation of blood pressure
It is an important function of the Juxtaglomerular apparatus. When the blood pressure falls in the kidney, JA releases hormone renin it tend to start renin angiotensin aldosteron system. This causes the constriction of blood vessels and reabsorption of the sodium and water to restore the blood pressure.
Regulation of Glomerular filtration rate
The macula densa of juxtaglomerular appratus detects abnormal concentration of the sodium chloride. When it become low or high, Macula densa adjust the size of afferent arteriole to maintain filtration rate of glomerulus. It is called as tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism of kidney.
More functions, are to protect the essential electrolytes from the body, maintain sodium chloride level and also working to coordinate between vessels and nephrons to properly function.
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