Histology Flashcards
What is the basic functional unit of the kidney?
Nephron
What is a nephron composed of?
Renal corpuscle (glomerulus) Renal tubules
Name the 2 cell layers that separate the blood from the glomerular filtrate
Capillary endothelium
Specialised epithelium of podocytes on top of glomerular capillaries
Which cells produce the connective tissue core of the renal corpuscle?
Mesangial cells
What are the vasa recta within the kidney?
Thin vessels that enter the cortex from the medullar and dip back up
Which type of epithelium lines the distal convoluted tubules?
Simple cuboidal epithelium
What is the difference between the epithelium of the distal and proximal convoluted tubules?
Distal convoluted tubules lack brush border villified membrane
Which type of epithelium lines the collecting ducts?
Simple columnar epithelium
List the 3 components of the juxtaglomerular apparatus
Macula densa
Juxtaglomerular cells
Extraglomerular mesangial cells
What is the function of the macula densa?
Sense ion composition in the distal convoluted tubule
Which substance do juxtaglomerular cells secrete?
Renin
Almost all the conducting parts of the urinary tract are lined by which epithelium?
Transitional epithelium - “urothelium”
Stratified
