10. Renal Anatomy and Histology

Question 1

What are the layers of renal fat from proximal to distal to the kidney?

Answer 1

Perinephric fat
Renal fascia
Paranephric fat

Question 2

What branches does the renal artery give off before reaching a glomerulus?

Answer 2

Renal –> segmental –> interlobar –> arcuate –> interlobular –> afferent arteriole

Question 3

What nerves supplie the sympathetic innervation to the kidneys?

Answer 3

Lesser and least splanchnic nerves

Question 4

What supplies the parasympathetic innervation to the kidneys?

Answer 4

Vagus nerve (posterior vegal trunk, right vegus)

Question 5

What kind of endothelium are found in the ascending and descending portions of long medullary peritubular capillaries?

Answer 5

Ascending: fenstrated endothelium

Descending: continuous endothelium

Question 6

What are the two main components of a renal corpuscle?

Answer 6

Glomerulus (vessels) and Bowman’s capsule

Question 7

What kind of endothelium is found in the glomerulus?

Answer 7

Fenestrated endothelium

Question 8

What is the difference in tissue type between the vascular pole and urinary pole of renal corpuscles?

Answer 8

The vascular pole is endothelium

The urinary (tubular) pole is epithelium

Question 9

What is the role of mesangial cells?

Answer 9

Provide structural support for glomerular loops and extracellular matrix for podocytes. They are also phagocytic cells and secrete growth factors and cytokines in response to injury.

Question 10

Where are podocytes found?

Answer 10

Visceral layer of Bowman’s capsule

Question 11

What is the main role of podocytes?

Answer 11

Form filtration barrier. Regulates size, patency, and selectivity of filtration.

Question 12

What are the components of the filtration membrane?

Answer 12

Fenstrated endothelium –> basement membrane –> podocytes

Question 13

What kind of cells make up the parietal layer of Bowman’s capsule?

Answer 13

Simple squamous epithelium

Question 14

Where is the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) located? What is its main role?

Answer 14

Only found in renal cortex

Most active tubule in resorption and secretion

Question 15

What types of epithelium are found in the thin and think limb segments of the loop of Henle?

Answer 15

Thin: simple squamous epithelium

Thick: simple cuboidal epithelium

Question 16

How can one tell the PCT from the DCT in a histological slide?

Answer 16

PCT: star, jagged shaped

DCT: circular and smoother

Question 17

Describe the components and role of juxtaglomerular apparatus.

Answer 17

Macula densa monitors Na+ levels and signals juxtaglomerular cells to secrete renin when Na+ is low. Juxtaglomerular cells also secrete renin if they sense BP is low.

Question 18

What are the two main mechanosensory cell types found in the collecting ducts?

Answer 18

Principal cells (light cells) and intercalated cells (dark cells)

Question 19

What are the cortical rays seen on a histological slice of a nephron?

Answer 19

Aggregation of collecting ducts and straight tubules running between the renal corpuscles and convoluted tubules

Question 20

What part of transitional epithelium (urothelium) forms the impermeable barrier on the membrane?

Answer 20

Urothelial plaques. They are stored in fusiform vesicles by umbrella cells until needed.

Question 21

What cells in transitional epithelium (urothelium) aid in stretching/relaxing of the membrane?

Answer 21

Umbrella cells

Question 22

What is the name of the muscular sac that encloses the urinary bladder?

Answer 22

Detrusor muscle

Question 23

Where is the trigone of the urinary bladder located?

Answer 23

Where the ureters and urethra open on the inferior/posterior wall of the bladder

Question 24

What are the epithelium changes throughout the urethra?

Answer 24

Transitional near bladder

Pseudostratified columnar for majority

Stratified squamous at distal end

Question 25

What is another name for the penile urethra?

Answer 25

Spongy urethra

Question 26

What kind of mutation causes polycystic kidney disease?

Answer 26

Autosomal dominant in PKD1 or PKD2

Question 27

What is schistosoma hematobium?

Answer 27

Parasitic blood flukes passed via snail species. Can cause fibrosis and calcification of bladder

Question 28

What is nutcracker syndrome?

Answer 28

When the superior mesenteric artery compresses the left renal vein