What is the Difference Between Bowmans Capsule and Malpighian Capsule?

Bowman's capsule and Malpighian capsule are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they do have some differences. Here is a comparison of the two:

• Bowman's capsule:
• A double-walled cup-like structure present at the beginning of a nephron in the kidney.
• Composed of two layers: an outer layer called the parietal layer made of simple squamous epithelium, and an inner layer called the visceral layer made up of podocytes.
• The space between the walls of the capsule is called Bowman's space.
• Malpighian capsule:
• Also known as the Malpighian body or renal corpuscle, it is a structure in the kidney that contains the glomerulus.
• The Malpighian capsule is formed when Bowman's capsule, which contains the glomerulus, is surrounded by a layer of epithelial cells.
• The Malpighian capsule consists of only one epithelial cell layer.

In summary, Bowman's capsule is a double-walled structure that covers the glomerulus and has two layers, while the Malpighian capsule is composed of a single layer of epithelial cells surrounding the glomerulus. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, the Malpighian capsule technically refers to the structure containing the glomerulus, whereas the Bowman's capsule refers to the double-walled structure surrounding the glomerulus.

Comparative Table: Bowmans Capsule vs Malpighian Capsule

The main differences between Bowman's capsule and Malpighian capsule are summarized in the table below:

Bowman's capsule is a part of the renal corpuscle, which also includes the glomerulus. When these two structures are combined, they are referred to as the Malpighian capsule or renal corpuscle. Both Bowman's capsule and Malpighian capsule are involved in the filtration of blood, with the Bowman's capsule receiving the filtrate of the glomerulus and the Malpighian capsule consisting of the Bowman's capsule and glomerulus.