1. the permanent kidney of reptiles, birds, and mammals that develops from the posterior part of the intermediate mesoderm
Usage: anatomy; embryology

Examples

• The metanephros begins to develop during the fifth week of human embryonic development.
• Unlike the pronephros and mesonephros, the metanephros becomes the functional adult kidney.
• The metanephros forms from the metanephric blastema and the ureteric bud.
• In mammals, the metanephros replaces the earlier kidney structures during development.
• The formation of the metanephros is crucial for proper urinary system development.
• Abnormal metanephros development can lead to congenital kidney disorders.