 CHAPTER 16 - URINARY SYSTEM Histology Guide      Share

MH 141a Kidney
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Nephron

The nephron is the structural and functional unit of the kidney.

Renal Corpuscle - spherical structures with an average
diameter of 200 µm distributed throughout the cortex.
Bowman's Capsule - encloses the glomerulus.
Parietal Layer - simple squamous epithelium that lines
the outer wall of the capsule.
Visceral Layer - podocytes cover the glomerular
capillaries. These cells have large ovoid nuclei.
Bowman's Space - the space between the parietal and
visceral layers that receives the ultrafiltrate.
Glomerulus - blood flowing through a capillary network (or
tuft) undergoes filtration to produce the ultrafiltrate.
Glomerular Capillaries - supplied by an afferent
arteriole and drained by an efferent arteriole.
Podocytes - cover the surface of the glomerular
capillaries and form narrow (~25 nm) filtration slits.
These cells have large ovoid nuclei.
Mesangial Cells - large cells with irregularly shaped
nuclei that have phagocytic and contractile function.
Vascular Pole - where the afferent and efferent arterioles
enter and exit the glomerulus.
Urinary Pole - where the ultrafiltrate exits Bowman's
space and a proximal convoluted tubule begins.

5000 µm
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