In mammals, the pronephros is the first of the three embryonic kidneys to be established and exists only transiently. In lower vertebrates such as fish and amphibia, the pronephros is the fully functional embryonic kidney and is indispensible for larval life[GO].

A kidney formed of nephric tubules arising in the anterior region of the nephric ridge; forms only as a transient embryonic structure. [Evolution, Fourth_Edition_(2006)_McGraw-Hill, Function, Kardong_KV, Vertebrates:_Comparative_Anatomy, p.748][VHOG], Organ that serves as a transient kidney, providing osmoregulation during early developmental stages and then degenerating during metamorphosis.[AAO], The embryonic kidney, present at the level of the third somite, is composed of two glomeruli fused at the midline, two pronephric tubules, and paired bilateral pronephric ducts that modify the composition of the blood filtrate before delivering it to the cloaca for excretion.Kimmel et al, 1995.[TAO]

pronephric kidney

UBERON:0005794

uberon

embryonic kidney, archinephron, pronephron

pronephric

In all vertebrate embryos, the kidney begins with the differentiation of a few renal tubules from the anterior end of the nephric ridge overlying the pericardial cavity. (...) This early-developing embryonic kidney is called the pronephros.[well established][VHOG]

UBERON:0002120

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/uberon.owl, http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/cl.owl

• mesonephros

• pronephric mesoderm

• pronephric duct