Session 2 - Histology of the kidney and nephron Flashcards
What is the kidney surrounded by?
- Renal capsule
- Perinephric fat
- Renal fascia
What are the two main layers of the kidney?
- Renal cortex
* Renal Medulla
Describe the sequential structure of the nephron
- Renal corpuscle
- Proxima convoluted tubule
- Loop of Henle
- Distal convoluted tubule
What is the renal corpuscle made up of?
- Vascular pole - Afferent/efferent arterioles, glomerulus
* Urinary pole - Bowman’s capsule
What structures make up the collecting system of the urinary system?
- Ureter
- Bladder
- Urethra
Name the two main structures found in the renal cortex
- Renal corpuscles
* Proximal convoluted tubules
Name the two structures which make up the renal corpuscle
- Bowman’s capsule
* Glomerulus
In embryological terms, where is the primitive renal tubule derived from?
• The ureteric bud
What does the primordium of the true kidney eventually envelop?
Glomerulus
What is meant when we say that the glomerulus has a vascular pole
• Afferent and efferent arterioles
What is the urinary pole of the renal corpuscle?
• Bowman’s capsule
What is the function of bowman’s capsule?
• To produce ultrafiltrate of plasma
Outline the cellular structure of bowman’s capsule’s parietal and visceral layers
• Simple squamous epithelium
What is the filtration barrier of bowman’s capsule produced by?
• Capillary endothelium and visceral layer of bowman’s capsule
What is a podocyte?
• Modified epithelium which allow ultrafiltration
How is the parietal layer of bowman’s capsule adapted to collect ultrefiltrate
• Forms a funnel to collect the ultrafiltrate which drains into the proximal convuluted tubule at the urinary pole
What type of capillary endothelium exists in the bowman’s capsule
• Fenestrated
What does the investment of podocytes around capillary endothelium allow the formation of?
- Filtration slits, spaces between the podocyte processes (feet)
- Very leaky!
What is the proximal convoluted tubule?
- Longest, most convoluted section of the tubule
* Point at which reabsorption begins
What is the epithelium of the proximal convoluted tubule?
• Simple cuboidal epithelium with pronounced brush border
What are the four parts of the loop of henle?
- Pars recta
- Thin descending limb
- Thin ascending limb
- Thick ascending limb
How are the parts of the loop of henle described?
• Basis of appearance/epithelial lining
Describe the route of the thin limb of the loop of henle
• Dips down into the medulla
Describe the cell type and what exactly occurs functionally in the thin descending part of the loop of henle
• Simple squamous epithelium
○ No active transport
○ Looks a lot like a small capillary but there are no red blood cells
○ No brush border
