What is glomerulonephritis?

Glomerulonephritis refers specifically to the inflammation of the glomeruli, which are small structures in the kidneys responsible for filtering blood. This condition can affect the kidneys' ability to filter waste and excess fluids from the blood, potentially leading to various symptoms such as swelling, high blood pressure, and changes in urine output. The glomeruli are crucial in the renal filtration process, so their inflammation signifies a disruption in kidney function and can be caused by infections, autoimmune diseases, or other health conditions.

The other choices represent different kidney-related conditions: an infection of the bladder pertains to a urinary tract infection rather than kidney disease; absence of kidney function indicates kidney failure, which is a more severe stage of kidney disease; degeneration of kidney tissue refers to the deterioration of kidney function but does not specifically address the inflammatory component that characterizes glomerulonephritis.