Histology

Question 1

State the three key function so fate kidney and urinary tract

Answer 1

• maintain homeostasis
• excrete toxic metabolic waste
• produce renin and erythropoietin

Question 2

What does the hilum of the kidney consist of?

Answer 2

Renal artery, renal vein and ureter

Question 3

Describe the renal pelvis

Answer 3

Drains the major calyces into the ureter

Question 4

Describe the structure of the renal medulla

Answer 4

Divided into pyramids with apices pointing towards the hilum (papillae), these are separated by renal columns

Question 5

What is the capsule?

Answer 5

Fibrous cover continuous with connective tissue that lines the renal sinus

Question 6

Name the two parts of the nephron

Answer 6

Renal corpuscle

Renal tubules

Question 7

What is the corpuscle made up of?

Answer 7

Capillaries and a cup of simple squamous epithelium (bowman’s capsule)

Question 8

State the three layers between the blood and bowman’s capsule

Answer 8

Capillary endothelium
Basal lamina
Podocytes

Question 9

What components of each layer of the filter allow solute to pass?

Answer 9

Endothelium is fenstrated with pores

Podocytes have filtration slits

Question 10

What is the basal lamina made of?

Answer 10

GAGs

Question 11

Name the cell that produces a connective tissue core

Answer 11

Mesangial cell

Question 12

What is the purpose of the mesangium?

Answer 12

Supports and removes debris from the glomerulus

Question 13

What structure allows many substances to be reabsorbed in the proximal tubule?

Answer 13

Extensive brush border, tubules are also larger than the distal ones

Question 14

Describe the histology of the loop of henle

Answer 14

Thick limbs - lined by simple cuboidal epithelium

Thin limbs - lined by simple squamous epithelium

Question 15

What is the vasa recta?

Answer 15

Loops of thin walled vessels that dip into the medulla from above and then climb back up to the cortex

Question 16

What makes the luminal margin more obvious in the distal tubule?

Answer 16

Only sparse microvilli

Question 17

What hormone controls sodium reabsorption?

Answer 17

Aldosterone

Question 18

What is the name given to the structure formed by the gathering of collecting ducts and straight sections of tubule?

Answer 18

Medullary rays

Question 19

What are the large terminal collecting ducts called?

Answer 19

Ducts Of Bellini

Question 20

What lines the urinary tract?

Answer 20

Transitional epithelium/urothelium

Question 21

Why are the cells at the surface of the urinary tract known as umbrella cells?

Answer 21

Domed and special thickened inflexible membrane provides an impermeable barrier

Question 22

What is below the epithelium in the urinary tract?

Answer 22

Connective tissue and smooth muscle

Question 23

What is the lumen of the ureter lined by?

Answer 23

Transitional epithelium backed by lamina propria

Question 24

What covers the ureter mucosa?

Answer 24

Inner longitudinal smooth muscle and outer circular layer surrounded by adventitia/serosa

Question 25

Describe the histological layers of the bladder

Answer 25

Urothelium
Lamina Propria
Smooth muscle layers - detrusor and internal urethral sphincter

Question 26

Describe the parasympathetic ganglion

Answer 26

Found in the muscle and adventitia - supplied by the sacral spinal cord, controls the micturition reflex

Question 27

How long is the male and female urethera?

Answer 27

Female 3-5cm

Males 20cm

Question 28

What is the histology of the female urethra?

Answer 28

Transitional changes to stratified squamous

Question 29

Describe the prostatic urethra

Answer 29

Extends from the bladder through the prostate lined by transitional epithelium (3-4cm)

Question 30

Describe the membranous urethra

Answer 30

From prostate to bulb of penis, transitional becomes stratified columnar (c.1cm)

Question 31

Describe the penile urethra

Answer 31

Lined by stratified columnar epithelium which becomes stratified squamous near the tip (15cm)