State the difference between Nephron and Neuron.
Topic: Nephron and neuron
Answer
NEPHRON: the structural and functional unit of the KIDNEY. It filters the blood and forms urine. It consists of a Malpighian capsule (Bowman’s capsule with a glomerulus) and a renal tubule.
NEURON: the structural and functional unit of the NERVOUS SYSTEM. It transmits nerve impulses. It consists of a cyton, dendrites and an axon.
This question is set because the two words look and sound alike. They have nothing else in common, and the answer should make that plain at once by naming the ORGAN each belongs to.
A table is the clearest format, and ICSE awards marks for differences stated as matched pairs.
Both are described as "the structural and functional unit" of their system — which is the only genuine similarity, and stating it first makes the contrast that follows sharper.
Keep the spelling apart: nePHron — kidney; neUron — nerve.
| Point of difference | Nephron | Neuron |
|---|---|---|
| Unit of | The kidney | The nervous system |
| Function | Filters blood and forms urine | Conducts nerve impulses |
| Parts | Malpighian capsule and renal tubule | Cyton, dendrites and axon |
| Number | About one million in each kidney | Billions in the nervous system |