Session 2 - Histology of the kidney and nephron

Question 1

What is the kidney surrounded by?

Answer 1

• Renal capsule
  
  • Perinephric fat
  • Renal fascia

Question 2

What are the two main layers of the kidney?

Answer 2

• Renal cortex

* Renal Medulla

Question 3

Describe the sequential structure of the nephron

Answer 3

• Renal corpuscle
  
  • Proxima convoluted tubule
  • Loop of Henle
  • Distal convoluted tubule

Question 4

What is the renal corpuscle made up of?

Answer 4

• Vascular pole - Afferent/efferent arterioles, glomerulus

* Urinary pole - Bowman’s capsule

Question 5

What structures make up the collecting system of the urinary system?

Answer 5

• Ureter
  
  • Bladder
  • Urethra

Question 6

Name the two main structures found in the renal cortex

Answer 6

• Renal corpuscles

* Proximal convoluted tubules

Question 7

Name the two structures which make up the renal corpuscle

Answer 7

• Bowman’s capsule

* Glomerulus

Question 8

In embryological terms, where is the primitive renal tubule derived from?

Answer 8

• The ureteric bud

Question 9

What does the primordium of the true kidney eventually envelop?

Answer 9

Glomerulus

Question 10

What is meant when we say that the glomerulus has a vascular pole

Answer 10

• Afferent and efferent arterioles

Question 11

What is the urinary pole of the renal corpuscle?

Answer 11

• Bowman’s capsule

Question 12

What is the function of bowman’s capsule?

Answer 12

• To produce ultrafiltrate of plasma

Question 13

Outline the cellular structure of bowman’s capsule’s parietal and visceral layers

Answer 13

• Simple squamous epithelium

Question 14

What is the filtration barrier of bowman’s capsule produced by?

Answer 14

• Capillary endothelium and visceral layer of bowman’s capsule

Question 15

What is a podocyte?

Answer 15

• Modified epithelium which allow ultrafiltration

Question 16

How is the parietal layer of bowman’s capsule adapted to collect ultrefiltrate

Answer 16

• Forms a funnel to collect the ultrafiltrate which drains into the proximal convuluted tubule at the urinary pole

Question 17

What type of capillary endothelium exists in the bowman’s capsule

Answer 17

• Fenestrated

Question 18

What does the investment of podocytes around capillary endothelium allow the formation of?

Answer 18

• Filtration slits, spaces between the podocyte processes (feet)
  
  • Very leaky!

Question 19

What is the proximal convoluted tubule?

Answer 19

• Longest, most convoluted section of the tubule

* Point at which reabsorption begins

Question 20

What is the epithelium of the proximal convoluted tubule?

Answer 20

• Simple cuboidal epithelium with pronounced brush border

Question 21

What are the four parts of the loop of henle?

Answer 21

• Pars recta
  
  • Thin descending limb
  • Thin ascending limb
  • Thick ascending limb

Question 22

How are the parts of the loop of henle described?

Answer 22

• Basis of appearance/epithelial lining

Question 23

Describe the route of the thin limb of the loop of henle

Answer 23

• Dips down into the medulla

Question 24

Describe the cell type and what exactly occurs functionally in the thin descending part of the loop of henle

Answer 24

• Simple squamous epithelium
○ No active transport
○ Looks a lot like a small capillary but there are no red blood cells
○ No brush border

Question 25

What is the cell type and what occurs functional in the thick ascending part of the loop of henle?

Answer 25

• Simple cuboidal epithelium

* Active transport

Question 26

Where is the distal convoluted tubule found?

Answer 26

• Cortex, makes contact with its parent glomerulus

Question 27

How does the epithelial lining of the thick ascending limb compare to the proximal convoluted tubule?

Answer 27

• No brush border

* Simple cuboidal

Question 28

How does the DCT compare to the PCT?

Answer 28

• No brush border

* Larger lumen

Question 29

What does the juxtaglomerular apparatus consist of?

Answer 29

• The macula densa of distal convoluted tubule
  
  • The juxtaglomerular cells of afferent arteriole of glomerulus
  • Extraglomerular mesangial cells (lacis cells)

Question 30

What is the collecting duct a continuation of?

Answer 30

• Distal convoluted tubule

Question 31

Where is the collecting duct found?

Answer 31

Cortical

Question 32

What is the collecting duct similar in appearance to?

Answer 32

• Loop of henle

Question 33

How does the collecting duct differ from the loop of henle?

Answer 33

• Lumen is larger and tends to be more irregular than circular

Question 34

How do collection ducts for the renal pyramid empty?

Answer 34

• Into the renal papilla

Question 35

Describe the smooth muscles of the ureter?

Answer 35

• Two layers for the first 2/3, 3 for the lower 1/3

Question 36

What is the ureter lined by?

Answer 36

• Transitional epithelium

Question 37

How many layers of muscle in the bladder?

Answer 37

• 3 layers

Question 38

What is the epithelium of the bladder?

Answer 38

• Transitional

Question 39

What is urothelium?

Answer 39

• Stratified epithelium on the surface of the transitional epithelium of the bladder which increase in size on expansion and ensure epithelium is impermeable