Gross Anatomical Structures of the Urinary System - The Kidney

General Description

For orientation, examine R-P, Figs. 20.1 & 20.6. The kidney has a thin, tough connective tissue capsule beneath which lies the glandular tissue. The glandular tissue surrounds a large central cavity called the renal sinus. Adjacent to the renal sinus on the medial side of the organ is a notch called the hilus where the renal vessels and the ureter enter and leave the organ. The glandular portion of the kidney is composed of a number of conical pyramids, the renal lobes. Each renal lobe has its base on the capsule, and its apex (the renal papilla) projects into a minor calyx. The renal lobe consists of two regions, the cortex and the medulla. The cortex has a granular appearance due to the presence of renal corpuscles and renal tubules. These are components of the nephron, the functional unit of the kidney. The medulla has a striated appearance due to the presence of collecting tubules. Structures called medullary rays appear as vertical striations in the cortical substance. Renal columns are projections of cortical tissue between the bases of medullary pyramids.

Index	Image	Description
1		Kidney gross anatomical location
2		Kidney gross cross-section
3		The Nephron (kidney microanatomy)
4	Grays Online	Source: Gray's Online

Microanatomy

• Renal Corpuscle
• Proximal Convoluted Tubule (PT)
• Thin Tubules
• DistalConvolutedTubule (DCT)
• Juxtaglomerular Apparatus
• Collecting Tubules

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