Renal System Histology and Models

Adrenal gland

Kidney

Renal artery

Ureter

Urinary bladder

Spleen

Adrenal gland

Kidney

Ureter

Urinary bladder

Prostate gland

Urethra

Kidney Regions

• The kidney is divided into three REGIONS.

• If the question asks you to name the REGION, the answer is one of the below:– CORTEX– MEDULLA– RENAL PELVIS

Cortex

Medulla

Renal Pelvis

REGIONS

Kidney Structures

• If the question asks you to name the STRUCTURE, it is one of the below:

 • Within the cortex, you will find the glomeruli and the

proximal and distal convoluted tubules.• Within the medulla you will find the loops of Henle,

collecting tubules, the pyramids and the columns (pale area between the pyramids).

• Within the renal pelvis you will find the hilus, which branches into the major calyxes, which branch into the minor calyxes.

Cortex:GlomerulusProximal and Distal

convoluted tubules

Medulla:Loops of HenleCollecting tubulesPyramids Columns

Renal pelvisHilusMajor calyxesMinor calyxes

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You don’t need to ID these on this part of the model; they are too small here

CORTEX:

Glomerulus

Proximal and Distal convoluted tubules

MEDULLA:

Loop of Henle

Collecting tubule

Pyramid

Column

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Renal pelvis:HilusMajor calyxMinor calyxes

Ureter

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Pyramids

Hilus

Ureter

Major calyx

Minor calyx

On this model you need to know the regions, vessels, and the following structures:

Hilus

Major calyx

Minor calyx

Ureter

Renal artery

Segmental artery

Interlobar artery

Interlobular artery

Arcuate artery

Interlobar artery

Interlobular artery

Arcuate artery

KIDNEY MODEL

• Glomerulus • Proximal convoluted tubule• Descending loop of the nephron

– Thick segment– Thin segment

• Ascending loop of the nephron– Thick segment– Thin segment

• Distal convoluted tubule• Collecting tubule (where urine is most similar to the bladder)• Vasa recta

Glomerulus

Vasa recta

Distal convoluted tubule

Proximal convoluted tubule

Glomerulus

Descending loop of the Nephron

Ascending loop of the nephron

Collecting tubule (where the fluid is most similar to urine found in the bladder)

Thick segment of the ascending loop of the nephron

Thick segment of the descending loop of the nephron

Thin segment of the ascending loop of the nephron

Thin segment of the descending loop of the nephron

Study Tip:To get oriented, always start at the glomerulus and run your finger down the proximal convoluted tubule. When it loops back up and thickens, you are now at the distal convoluted tubule.

Efferent arteriole

Afferent arteriole

Glomerular capsule

The glomerular space is where urine is most dissimilar to the urine in the bladder

GLOMERULUS

KIDNEY SLIDES

• Glomerulus• Kidney tubules (simple cuboidal epithelium)

Glomerulus

Tubule

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Glomerulus

Tubule

Glomerulus

TubuleKidney

Pancreas: don’t get this confused with a glomerulus in the kidney!

Pancreas Kidney