Anatomy of the kidney

Question 1

What sheath surrounds the kidney?

Answer 1

Renal capsule

Question 2

What are the two major layers of the kidney

Answer 2

Renal cortex

Renal medulla

Question 3

What is contained in the renal cortex?

Answer 3

Blood vessels, lymph and connective tissue

Question 4

What is contained in the renal medulla?

Answer 4

Nephrons

Question 5

What superstructure is found in the renal medulla?

Answer 5

Pyramids

Question 6

How many pyramids do each kidney have?

Answer 6

~12

Question 7

How many nephrons are found in a pyramid?

Answer 7

~50,000

Question 8

What does the medulla look like?

Answer 8

Striated

Question 9

What gives the medulla its striated appearance?

Answer 9

Nephrons

Question 10

What does the renal medulla drain into?

Answer 10

Minor calyx

Question 11

What do minor calyx drain into?

Answer 11

Major calyx

Question 12

What do major calyx drain into?

Answer 12

Renal pelvis

Question 13

What does the renal pelvis drain into?

Answer 13

Ureter

Question 14

What occurs where the renal pelvis changes to the ureter?

Answer 14

Narrowing of pelviureteric junction

Question 15

Name 9 major parts of the nephron

Answer 15

Glomerular
Bowman's capsule
Afferent arteriole
Efferent arteriole
Proximal tubule
Loop of Henle
Distal tubule
Collecting duct
Peritubular capillaries

Question 16

Describe the blood flow round the nephron

Answer 16

Afferent arteriole
Glomerulus
Efferent arteriole
Peritubular capillaries
Vein

Question 17

Describe the flow of fluid once it had been filtered

Answer 17

Bowman's capsule
Proximal tubule
Loop of Henle
Distal tubule
Collecting duct

Question 18

What happens at the glomerulus?

Answer 18

Blood is filtered into the Bowman’s capsule

Question 19

Describe the route of the proximal tubule with regards to the arterioles

Answer 19

Passes between afferent and efferent

Question 20

What is found at the junction between the afferent and efferent arterioles and the proximal tubule?

Answer 20

Juxtaglomerular apparatus

Question 21

What two types of nephron do we have?

Answer 21

Juxtamedullary

Cortical

Question 22

What is the difference between juxtamedullary and cortical nephrons?

Answer 22

Juxtamedullary have longer loops of Henle

Question 23

Do we have more juxtamedullary or cortical nephrons?

Answer 23

Cortical (80%)

Question 24

Is the afferent or efferent arteriole bigger?

Answer 24

Afferent

Question 25

What forms the inner layer of the Bowman’s capsule?

Answer 25

Podocytes

Question 26

What separates podocytes from endothelium?

Answer 26

Thick basement membrane

Question 27

What special cells are found in the juxtaglomerular apparatus?

Answer 27

Granular cells

Macula densa

Question 28

How long is a nephron?

Answer 28

45-65mm

Question 29

What do cells of the proximal tubule have on their surface?

Answer 29

Many microvilli for reabsorption

Question 30

How can you tell a proximal tubule on histology?

Answer 30

Junction between lumen and cells looks fuzzy

Question 31

Do cells of the distal tubule have microvilli?

Answer 31

Not really

Question 32

Where is the proximal tubule found?

Answer 32

In the cortex between the glomerulus and corticomedullary junction

Question 33

Where is the loop of Henle found?

Answer 33

Medulla

Question 34

Where is the distal tubule found?

Answer 34

In the cortex between the medullary cortical junction and the collecting tubule.