Main Entry: Bow·man's capsule

Pronunciation: \ˌbō-mənz-\

Function: noun

: a thin membranous double-walled capsule surrounding the glomerulus of a vertebrate nephron through which glomerular filtrate passes to the proximal convoluted tubule—called also capsule of Bowman, glomerular capsule; see renal corpuscle

[Bowman's capsule illustration]

Bowman, Sir William (1816–1892), British ophthalmologist, anatomist, and physiologist. Bowman was the foremost ophthalmic surgeon of 19th-century Britain. He is known in particular for his studies of the anatomy and physiology of the eye; the structure now known as Bowman's membrane was described by him in 1847. Bowman is equally notable for his studies of the kidney and urinary secretion; his original description of Bowman's capsule was published in 1842. In addition to these achievements, he discovered and described striated muscle in 1840.