Developing a model renal corpuscle to illustrate concepts in renal physiology.

Models that illustrate renal fluid dynamics are scarce within the secondary and postsecondary landscape. This work summarizes the efforts to build a rudimentary model renal corpuscle (MRC) that can be employed in a problem-based learning exercise or demonstration to teach basic principles of renal physiology to secondary students or undergraduates. The MRC presented here was constructed from readily available parts and allows the user to simulate changes in "systemic blood pressure," modulate the diameter of the "afferent arteriole," and assess how these changes affect glomerular filtration. While our model shows promise as an educational tool, modifications are suggested before it is optimized for student use.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This work describes the efforts to create a model renal corpuscle that may be employed in an educational demo or problem-based learning exercise. Working nephron models that illustrate renal fluid dynamics are not widely available, which warrants the exploration of this new domain of teaching tools.