Metanephric is a medical term used to describe the final stage of kidney development. It is pronounced /ˌmɛtəˈnɛfrɪk/ using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The word is composed of three parts: "meta" meaning beyond or after, "neph" meaning kidney, and "ric" which indicates relating to or of a certain kind. The spelling of metanephric reflects the Latin roots of the word and the corresponding English spelling rules. Proper spelling is important for clear communication in scientific and medical fields.
Metanephric is an adjective that refers to something related to the formation or functioning of the metanephros, which is a major component of the mammalian kidney. The metanephros, also known as the permanent kidney, develops during embryonic development in mammals and eventually replaces the temporary structures known as pronephros and mesonephros.
In terms of development, when referring to metanephric, it pertains to the late fetal stage where the metanephros starts forming and differentiating into the various components of the mature kidney, including the renal pelvis, renal medulla, and renal cortex. This is a crucial step in the development of the urinary system in mammals.
Metanephric also relates to the functioning of the mature kidney once it has fully developed. It can describe the structural features or processes that occur within the metanephros, including the filtration of blood, reabsorption of essential molecules, and secretion of waste products to form urine. The metanephric kidney plays a vital role in regulating body fluid composition, maintaining electrolyte balance, and filtering metabolic waste from the bloodstream.
Overall, from a developmental perspective, metanephric refers to the formation and differentiation of the permanent kidney during embryonic development. From a functional standpoint, metanephric describes the processes and structures involved in the filtration and excretion functions of the mature mammalian kidney.
The word "metanephric" is derived from two Greek roots: "meta-" and "nephros".
1. "Meta-" comes from the Greek "metá", meaning "after" or "beyond".
2. "Nephros" refers to the kidney.
Therefore, "metanephric" combines these roots to describe something related to the kidneys that comes after or beyond a previous stage or development.