Renal Histology

Question 1

What do arcuate vessels do?

Answer 1

between cortex/medulla and form interlobular/interlobar vessels

Question 2

2 kinds of nephrons and percentage?

Answer 2

cortical (85%)

juxta-medullary (15%)

Question 3

What is the hollow space between capillaries and capsule in the nephron?

Answer 3

Bowman’s space

Question 4

What are mesangial cells?

Answer 4

type of pericyte and smooth muscle cells of the glomerulus

Question 5

What are podocytes?

Answer 5

specialised epithelial cells that form final level of filtration, surrounds the fenestrated endothelium

Question 6

what are slit membranes?

Answer 6

3-5 nm pores between podocyte foot processes

Question 7

what does the thick basal lamina plus slit membrane provide?

Answer 7

filtration barrier

Question 8

What’s overall point of the renal tubules to produce?

Answer 8

hyperosmotic urea-rich fluid

Question 9

Proximal tubule has what kind of epithelium? describe.

Answer 9

simpel cuboidal
microvilli
thick: ion pumps and mitochondria
folded basolateral membrane

Question 10

describe the thin walled part of the tubules histologically

Answer 10

simple squamous cells

Question 11

describe the features of distal tubule histologically? 4 big things.

Answer 11

simple cuboidal
larger lumen
no microvilli
thick: lots of mitochondria and ion pumps

Question 12

purpose of macula densa? where is it?

Answer 12

distal tubule that passes between afferent and efferent arteriole
Chemoreceptor function/monitor filtrate

Question 13

what and where are the juxtaglomerular cells and what do they release? how are they signaled?

Answer 13

on afferent and efferent arteriole

release renin, signalled from paracrine macula densa

Question 14

describe collecting duct histologically 3 big ones

Answer 14

simple cuboidal becoming more columnar
large lumen
impermeable to water unless ADH or vasopressin is present.

Question 15

what happens to efferent arteriole after the glomerulus?

Answer 15

vasa recta

crucial for urine concentration

Question 16

describe the ureter histologically

Answer 16

simple muscular tube

transitional epithelium

Question 17

ureter peristalsis is regulated by what kind of nerves?

Answer 17

autonomic nerves

Question 18

describe urinary bladder histologically

Answer 18

transitional epithelium
smooth muscle during micturation
controlled autonomically/voluntarily

Question 19

transitional epithelium: describe

Answer 19

multipayered
non-permeable (very tight junctions)
membrane plaques

Question 20

what do the membrane plaques in the outer players of bladder transitional epithelium do?

Answer 20

stretch during distension

Question 21

describe urethra histologically

Answer 21

first: transitional epithelium

then stratified squamous

Question 22

what is the external urethral sphincter surrounded by? how controlled?

Answer 22

striated muscle

somatic nerves