Systemic Histology: Urinary System

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 Learning Objectives
 Identify the components and main functions of the
urinary system
 Recognize the structural organization of a renal corpuscle
 Specify the major segments of the nephron and
summarize the chief functions of each segment
 Recognize proximal and distal convoluted tubules
and the segments of loops of Henle in sections
 State where Juxtaglomerular cells are situated and
discuss their functional importance
 Identify the lining epithelium and arrangement of
smooch muscle in the urinary passages and bladder

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Organs of Urinary
System
Two Kidneys
Two Ureters
Urinary bladder
Urethra

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Warm up questions
1. what is the job of the kidney?
2. what are the hormones the kidney synthesizes?
3. what does EPO do?
4. where is EPO produced in the kidneys?
5. where is renin produced?
6. what is the function of renin?

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Functions of Urinary System
Involved to maintain homeostasis and osmoregulation
by :
o Filtration of cellular wastes from blood
o Selective reabsorption of water and solutes
o Excretion of the wastes and excess water as urine.
Production of renin …>BP regulation
Production of erythropoietin…..>RBC production
Activation of Prohormone vitamin D- involved
in regulating calcium balance.

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Layers surrounding each kidney:
1. Paranephric (or the pararenal fat body)-external to the renal
fascia, most obvious posterior to the kidney.
2. Renal fascia – a layer of irregular CT surrounding the kidney
and perirenal fat
3. Perirenal (perinephric) fat - a mass of adipose tissue, where
the kidney and its vessels are embedded in and extends in to
the renal sinus through the hilum
4. Renal capsule - the deep, thin, glistening dense irregular CT. It
consists of two distinct layers:
Outer layer- of fibroblasts and collagen fibers
Inner layer- with a cellular component of myofibroblasts

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Each kidney is composed of 1- 4 million nephrons.
 Each nephron consists of:
Renal corpuscle
Proximal convoluted tubule
Thin and thick limbs of Henle's loop
Distal convoluted tubule
oCollecting tubules and ducts.
The nephron is the functional unit of the kidney

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Internally , the kidney can be divided into an outer cortex
and an inner medulla.
The renal medulla consists of conical or pyramidal
structures, the medullary pyramids.
Separated by cortical extensions called renal columns
Medullary rays (of Ferrein)- penetrate the cortex
Renal lobe – consists the medulary pyramids and
medulary rays of the cortex
The number of lobes in a kidney equals the number of
medullary pyramids.

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Renal column (of Bertini)- cortical tissue in b/n the
renal pyramids
Lamina cribrosa- area of the renal papillae
perforated by 10- 25 orifices of collecting ducts
 Renal medullary rays- passes from the apex of renal
pyramid to nearly the renal capsule.
Each ray receives more than one collecting tubules.
A lobule consists of a collecting duct and all the
nephrons that it drains.
 Lobules consisting of a central medullary ray and
surrounding cortical material

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Renal Cortex
Outer reddish brown part
Approximately 90% to 95% of the blood is in the cortex
 Characterized by renal corpuscles and their associated tubules.
Approximately 400 to 500 medullary rays project into the cortex
from the medulla.
Each medullary ray is an aggregation of straight tubules and
collecting ducts.
Cortical labyrinths- regions between medullary rays
Contain the renal corpuscles, the convoluted tubules of the
nephrons, and the collecting tubules.
Each nephron and its collecting tubule (which connects to a
collecting duct in the medullary ray) form the uriniferous tubule

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Renal Medulla
Characterized by straight tubules, collecting ducts, and
the vasa recta
Vasa recta- represent the vascular part of the
countercurrent exchange system that regulates the
concentration of the urine.
Renal columns- represent cortical tissue contained
within the medulla.
Renal lobule- consists of a collecting duct and all the
nephrons that it drains.

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1. Renal Corpuscle
Represents the beginning of the nephron and contains the filtration
apparatus of the kidney
Consists of :
o Glomerulus - a tuft of capillaries composed of 10 to 20 capillary
loops supplied by an afferent arteriole and are drained by an
efferent arteriole
o Bowman’s capsule- a double-layered (Visceral and parietal ) of
simple squamous epithelium
Vascular pole- the site where the afferent and efferent arterioles
penetrate and exit
Urinary pole- where the proximal convoluted tubule begins
(Opposite to Vascular pole)

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Glomerular Filtration Barrier- has 3 elements
 Endothelium of the glomerular capillaries
With large fenestrations (70 to 90 nm in diameter)
Glomerular basement membrane(GBM)-300 to 370
nm
Visceral layer of BC, which contains specialized cells
called podocytes or visceral epithelial cells.
The filtration slit diaphragm acts as a size-selective
filter
Act as physical barriers to restrict the movement of
solutes and solvents across the filtration barrier

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Podocyte
A modified epithelial cell which forms noncontinuous
covering of the glomerular capillaries
The main podocyte body is separated from the capillary
by the subpodocytic space
Two main podocyte processes:
o Primary processes major process which originate directly
from the cell body
o Secondary processes originate from the primary process and
extend till they touch the basement membrane of the blood
capillaries

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Filtration slits
Elongated spaces between the interdigitating foot
processes or pedicles
About 40 nm wide and covered by filtration
slit diaphragm that spans the filtration slit
oNephrin is an important structural protein of the
filtration slit diaphragm.

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As the glomerular ultrafiltrate passes through the
uriniferous and collecting tubules, it undergoes changes
that involve both active and passive absorption, as well as
secretion.
Certain substances within the ultrafiltrate are reabsorbed,
some partially (e.g., water, sodium, and bicarbonate) and
some completely (e.g., glucose).
Other substances (e.g., creatinine and organic acids and
bases) are added to the ultrafiltrate (i.e., the primary
urine) by secretory activity of the tubule cells

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Glomerular Basement Membrane (GBM)
Acts as a physical barrier and an ion-selective filter.
 contains
Type IV and XVIII collagens
Glycoproteins (e.g., laminin, fibronectin, entactin)
Proteoglycans (e.g., perlecan, agrin)
Glycosaminoglycans (e.g heparan sulfate)
• Parts of the GBM:
Lamina rara externa, adjacent to the podocyte processes
Lamina rara interna, adjacent to the capillary endothelium.
Lamina densa, the overlapping portion of the two basal
laminae, sandwiched between the laminae rara
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Mesangial Cells
Positioned much the same as pericytes in the renal corpuscles
and other sites
 These cells and their extracellular matrix constitute the
mesangium
Lacis cells- located outside the corpuscle along the vascular
pole, and form part of the JG apparatus
Functions of the mesangial cells follow:
Phagocytosis and endocytosis
Structural support
Secretion of IL-1, PGE2, PDGF
Modulation of glomerular distension

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Juxtaglomerular Apparatus
 Regulates blood pressure by activating the renin–angiotensin–
aldosterone system (RAAS).
 Includes:
A.Macula densa- distinctive cells that are narrower and usually
taller than other DCT cells
Golgi body is towards apical surface
B.Juxtaglomerular cells contain secretory granules, and their
nuclei are spherical, as opposed to the typical elongate smooth
muscle cell nucleus.
C.Extraglomerular mesangial cells- a group of cells located
between the afferent, efferent arterioles and the cells of macula
densa

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Functions of the juxtaglomerular apparatus
It increases the blood pressure
oConstrict arteriole and stimulates aldosterone
(secretion)
Secretion of renin
Secretion of the Erythropoietin
oStimulates the process of blood development in the
bone marrow
It plays an important homeostatic role in the control of
the ionic balance

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2. Tubes of the Nephron
Proximal convoluted tubule originates from the urinary pole of
Bowman’s capsule.
It follows a very tortuous or convoluted course and then enters the
medullary ray to continue as the proximal straight tubule.
Proximal straight tubule, commonly referred to as the thick
descending limb of the loop of Henle, descends into the medulla.
Thin descending limb is the continuation of the proximal straight
tubule within the medulla. It makes a hairpin turn and returns
toward the cortex.
Thin ascending limb is the continuation of the thin descending
limb after its hairpin turn.
Distal straight tubule also referred to as the thick ascending limb
of the loop of Henle
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Proximal Convoluted Tubule
Receives the ultrafiltrate from the urinary space of BM
It is the initial and major site of reabsorption
Reabsorbs 60–65% of the water, along almost all of the
nutrients, ions, vitamins, and small plasma proteins
Features of cuboidal cells of the PCT :
Brush border microvilli
Junctional complex ( tight and a zonula adherens)
Plicae /folds located on the lateral surfaces of the cells
Lateral interdigitation of processes with adjacent cells
Basal membrane invaginations/Basal striations, consisting
of elongate mitochondria

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The Loop of Henle
U shaped , composed of simple epithelia, cuboidal near
the cortex, but squamous deeper in the medulla
It is formed of four main parts:
1- Thick descending limb (similar to the proximal tubule)
2- Thin descending limb
3- Thin ascending limb
4- Thick ascending limb (similar to the distal tubule).
The thin descending limb is characterized by:
 Squamous epithelium
 No brush border
 The nuclei bulge through the lumen
 The cells show short microvilli

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The thin ascending limb is characterized by:
Similar to the blood capillaries
Responsible for the active transport of sodium
oSquamous cells of the loops' thin descending limbs
are freely permeable to water but not salts, while the
thin ascending limbs are permeable to NaCl but
impermeable to water.

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PCT DCT

˷15 mm long, diameter is 60um 5 mm long,20-50um

High convolutions Less convoluted

No macula densa Macula densa cells

The main function is reabsorption of The main function is reabsorption of
water water
Lined by cubiodal cells characterized
Lined by simple cuboidal cells
by:
characterized by:
-About 5-8 cells
- About 3-4 in number
- Well developed cell boundaries -
- Indistinct boundaries
- undeveloped apical brush border
- Apical brush border (microvilli)
- Basal striations (not apparent)
- Basal mitochondria
- The cytoplasm is less granular and
- Deeply acidophilic cytoplasm
less acidophilic in reaction
-Presence of lateral interdigitation
- Indistinct lateral interdigitation

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Collecting Tubules and Collecting Ducts
In the cortex - have flattened cells, somewhat squamous
to cuboidal in shape.
 In the medulla - have cuboidal cells, with a transition
to columnar cells as the ducts increase in size and
become columnar in the region of the renal papilla.
The cells have distinct cell boundaries

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Two distinct types of cells:
1. Light cells, also called collecting duct cells or CD
cells , are the principal cells of the system.
weakly staining with few organelles and scanty microvilli
possess an abundance of ADH–regulated water channels,
aquaporin-2 (AQP-2), which are responsible for water
permeability of the collecting ducts
2. Dark cells, also called intercalated (IC) cells,
• with more abundant mitochondria which help regulate
the acid-base balance by secreting H+ and absorbing
HCO

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Histophysiology of the Kidney
The countercurrent multiplier system creates hyperosmotic
urine.
Indicates a flow of fluid in adjacent structures in opposite
directions
Ability to excrete hyperosmotic urine
 Involves three structures:
1. Loop of Henle- acts as a countercurrent multiplier
2. Vasa recta, form loops parallel to the loop of Henle
3. Collecting duct in the medulla acts as an osmotic
equilibrating device.

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 BLOOD CIRCULATION

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• Interlobular arteries branch off at right
angles from the arcuate arteries and
enter the cortex.
• From the interlobular arteries arise the
microvascular:
Afferent arterioles-supply blood to a
tuft of capillaries called the glomerulus
Efferent arterioles- leave the
glomerular capillaries, not via venules
Peritubular capillaries –that nourish
cells of the proximal and distal tubules
and carry away reabsorbed substances.
Vasa recta- continue as long, straight
vessels directly into the medulla
providing nutrients and oxygen there,
and then loop back into the cortex as
venule

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Histology of Ureters, Bladder, & Urethra
 The calyces, renal pelvis, ureter, and bladder
have the same basic histological structure except
the urethra
Mucosa - lined by unique stratified transitional
epithelium (urothelium)
Muscularis -usually two layers of smooth muscle lie
beneath the lamina propria:
Inner Longitudinal layer-arranged in loose spiral
pattern
Outer Circular layer- arranged in a tight spiral
pattern
Adventitia (or, in some regions, a serosa).
 Urine moves from the renal pelvises to the
bladder by peristaltic contractions.

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Urothelium- composed of the following three layers:
 A single layer of small basal cells resting on a very thin
basement membrane
An intermediate region containing from one to several layers
of more columnar cells
 A superficial layer of very large, polyhedral or bulbous cells
called umbrella cells which are occasionally bi-or
multinucleated and are highly differentiated to protect
underlying cells against the cytotoxic effects of hypertonic
urine.
The epithelium begins in the minor calyces as two cell layers
and increases to an apparent four to five layers in the ureter
and as many as six or more layers in the empty bladder

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in the neck of the bladder, near the urethra, the wall shows four layers: the
mucosa with urothelium (U) and lamina propria (LP); the thin submucosa (S);
inner, middle, and outer layers of smooth muscle (IL, ML, and OL); and the
adventitia (A)
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Umbrella cells
 up to 100um in diameter , well developed in the bladder
 Consists of asymmetric unit membranes, in which regions
of the outer lipid layer appear twice as thick as the inner
leaflet.
Lipid rafts containing mostly integral membrane proteins
called uroplakins- impermeable and protect cytoplasm
and underlying cells from hyperosmotic effects.
The urothelium becomes thinner, apparently the result of
the intermediate cells being pushed and pulled laterally to
accommodate the increased volume of urine.
When the bladder is empty, the mucosa is highly folded
and the urothelium has bulbous umbrella cells.
When the bladder is full, the mucosa is pulled smooth, the
urothelium is thinner, and the umbrella cells are flatter

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Smooth Muscle of the Urinary Passages
Arranged in bundles
Neither a muscularis mucosae nor a submucosal
layer is present in their walls.
In the tubular portions (ureters and urethra), usually
two layers of smooth muscle lie beneath the lamina
propria:
Longitudinal layer, the inner layer that is
arranged in a loose spiral pattern
Circular layer, the outer layer that is arranged in
a tight spiral pattern
Peristaltic contractions of the smooth muscle move
the urine from the minor calyces through the ureter
to the bladder

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Ureters
Approximately 24 to 34 cm long.
Transitional epithelium (urothelium) lines its lumen
Remainder of the wall is composed of smooth muscle
and connective tissue.
The smooth muscle is arranged in three layers:
An inner longitudinal layer
A middle circular layer
An outer longitudinal layer- present only at the distal end of
the ureter.

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Urinary Bladder
A distensible reservoir for urine, located in the pelvis
contains three openings,
Two ureteric orifices
One internal urethral orifice
Trigone -triangular region defined by these three openings
Relatively smooth and constant in thickness
 The smooth muscle of the bladder wall forms the detrusor
muscle
 Toward the opening of the urethra
 The muscle fibers form the involuntary internal urethral
sphincter, a ring like arrangement of muscle around the
opening of the urethra

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Microscopic structure of male and female urethera
Male urethera- about 20 cm long , its distal portion is dilated to
form the fossa navicularis
Three main parts :
1. Prostatic urethera lined by transitional epithelium
2. Membranous urethera lined by pseudostratified columnar
epithelium (2cm)
Ducts of the bulbourethral glands (Cowper’s glands) and of
the mucus secreting urethral glands (glands of Littré) empty
into the penile urethra.
3. Penile urethera lined by pseudostratified columnar epithelium
except at its distal end, where it is lined with stratified
squamous epithelium continuous non keratinized with that
of the skin of the
Female urethera- about 4-5 cm long , lined by transitional
epithelium then stratified squamous non keratinized epithelium at its
terminal
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