2. What is the histology of renal ?

KIDNEY: CORTEX, MEDULLA, PYRAMID, AND MINOR CALYX (PANORAMIC

VIEW)
In the sagittal section, the kidney is subdivided into an outer darker-staining cortex
and an inner lighter-staining medulla. Externally, the cortex is covered with a dense, irregular
connective tissue renal capsule.
The cortex contains both distal and proximal convoluted tubules, glomeruli, and
medullary rays. Present also in the cortex are the interlobular arteries and interlobular
veins. The medullary rays are formed by the straight portions of nephrons, blood vessels, and
collecting tubules that join in the medulla to form the larger collecting ducts. The medullary
rays do not extend to the kidney capsule because of the subcapsular convoluted tubules.
The medulla comprises the renal pyramids. The base of each pyramid is adjacent to
the cortex and its apex forms the pointed renal papilla that projects into the surrounding,
funnellike structure, the minor calyx, which represents the dilated portion of the ureter. The
area cribrosa is pierced by small holes, which are the openings of the collecting ducts into
the minor calyx.
The tip of the renal papilla is usually covered with a simple columnar epithelium. As
the columnar epithelium of the renal papilla reflects onto the outer wall of the minor calyx, it
becomes a transitional epithelium. A thin layer of connective tissue and smooth muscle (not
illustrated) under this epithelium then merges with the connective tissue of the renal sinus.
Present in the renal sinus are branches of the renal artery and vein called the
interlobar artery and the interlobar vein. The interlobar vessels enter the kidney and arch
over the base of the pyramid at the corticomedullary junction as the arcuate artery and vein.
The arcuate vessels give rise to smaller, interlobular arteries and interlobular veins that pass
radially into the kidney cortex and give rise to the afferent glomerular arteries that give rise to
the capillaries of the glomeruli.

KIDNEY CORTEX: JUXTAGLOMERULAR APPARATUS

The renal corpuscle exhibits the glomerular capillaries, parietal and visceral
epithelium of the glomerular (Bowmans) capsule, and the capsular space. The brush
borders and acidophilic cells distinguish the proximal convoluted tubules from the distal
convoluted tubules, whose smaller, less intensely stained cells lack the brush borders. The
cuboidal cells of the collecting tubules exhibit cell outlines and pale cytoplasm. Distinct
basement membranes surround these tubules.
Each renal corpuscle exhibits a vascular pole where the afferent glomerular
arterioles enter and efferent glomerular arterioles exit.
At the vascular pole, modified epithelioid cells with cytoplasmic granules replace the
smooth muscle cells in the tunica media of the afferent glomerular arteriole. These cells are
the juxtaglomerular cells. This area of darker, more compact cell arrangement is called the
macula densa. The juxtaglomerular cells in the afferent glomerular arteriole and the macula
densa cells in the distal convoluted tubule form the juxtaglomerular apparatus.

KIDNEY MEDULLA: PAPILLARY REGION (TRANSVERSE SECTION)

The papilla in the kidney faces the minor calyx and contains the terminal portions of
the collecting tubules, now called the papillary ducts. The papillary ducts exhibit large
diameters and wide lumina, and are lined by tall, pale-staining columnar cells. Also present in
the papilla are the straight (ascending) segments of the distal tubules and the straight
(descending) segments of the proximal tubules. Interspersed among the ascending and
descending straight tubules are the transverse sections of the thin segments of the loop of
Henle that resemble the capillaries or small venules. The capillaries and the small venules
differ from the thin segments of the loop of Henle by thinner walls and by the presence of
blood cells in their lumina. The connective tissue surrounding the tubules is more abundant
in the papillary region of the kidney, and the papillary ducts are spaced further apart.

KIDNEY MEDULLA: TERMINAL END OF PAPILLA (LONGITUDINAL SECTION)

In this illustration, the papilla is lined by a stratified covering epithelium. At the area
cribrosa, the covering epithelium is usually a tall simple columnar type that is continuous
with the papillary ducts.
Thin segments of the loops of Henle descend deep into the papilla and are
identifiable as thin ducts with empty lumina. Venules and the capillaries of the vasa recta are
usually identified by the presence of blood cells in their lumina. Surrounding the blood
vessels and the papillary ducts is the renal interstitium (connective tissue).

KIDNEY: DUCTS OF MEDULLARY REGION (LONGITUDINAL SECTION)

The tubules with large, light-staining cuboidal cells are the collecting tubules.
Adjacent to the collecting tubules are tubules with darkerstaining cuboidal cells. These are
the thick segments of the loop of Henle. Between the tubules are blood vessels of the vasa
recta and the thin segments of the loop of Henle. Blood vessels of the vasa recta can be
distinguished from the thin segments of the loop of Henle by the presence of blood cells in
their lumina.

Source :
Eroschenko, Victor. 2010. Atlas Histologi DiFiore 11th. Jakarta : EGC page 370-385