Urinary System Flashcards
a fibrous capsule that can be
stripped off the surface of the kidney.
Renal capsule
the outer zone of the kidney (about
one-third of its depth).
Renal cortex
the inner zone of the kidney
consisting of renal pyramids and
Renal medulla
(about two-thirds of its depth).
Renal column
the space within the kidney that is occupied
by the renal pelvis, calices, vessels, nerves, and fat.
Renal sinus
the apex of the renal pyramid that projects
into a minor calyx.
Renal papilla
a cup-like chamber that is the beginning of
the extrarenal duct system. Several minor calyces combine to form a major calyx.
Minor calyx
two or three per kidney that combine to form
the renal pelvis.
Major calyx
the funnel-like end of the ureter that lies
within the renal sinus.
Renal pelvis
the muscular duct that carries urine from the
kidney to the urinary bladder.
Ureter
may form in the calyces and renal pelvis. Small kidney stones may spontaneously pass through the ureter into the bladder. Larger kidney stones may lodge at one of
three natural constrictions of the ureter: (1) where
the renal pelvis joins the ureter; (2) where the
ureter crosses the pelvic brim; and (3) at the
entrance of the ureter into the urinary bladder.
Kidney stones (renal calculi)
Primary role of the kidneys
• regulation of body fluid and
• constancy of the internal
environment
The human kidney
has about four
million filtering units
called
nephrons.
The nephron
consists of four
parts:
(1) renal corpuscle (capillary loops surrounded by an epithelial cover), (2) proximal convoluted tubule, (3) thin and thick limbs of Henle, and (4) distal convoluted tubule.
Granular variety of
myoepithelioid cells in the wall of the
afferent arteriole.
Juxtaglomerular cells
