Histology of GUS

Practice
 Cortex of Kidney
• Renal corpuscle (found only in the cortex)
• Proximal convoluted tubule
• Distal convoluted tubule
• Medullar rays
• Straight portion of distal tubule
• Straight portion of proximal tubule
• Collecting tubule
Renal corpuscles: dense rounded structures, the glomeruli,
surrounded by narrow Bowman’s spaces
Proximal convoluted tubules (PCT):
• Simple low columnar or cuboidal
• Stain more darkly (more eosinophilic) and central nuclei
• More numerous than distal convoluted tubules; they constitute
most of the cortical parenchyma (since they’re the longest and
most convoluted part of the nephron)
• Have abundant long microvilli forming a brush border that
partially obscures the lumen. The lumen of the tubule looks
filled up and fuzzy (In routine histologic preparations, the long
brush border may be disorganized and give the lumens a fuzz-
filled appearance)
• Because the cells are large, each transverse section of a PCT
typically contains only three to five nuclei. (nuclei are less
crowded and more spaced out compared to DCT)
• Lateral cell borders are usually indistinct by light microscopy,
partly because of extensive interdigitations
Distal convoluted tubule (DCT):
• Low cuboidal epithelium
• No brush border, making its lumen appear wider and giving it a
clear lumen
• The cells are less pink than those of PCT and have Apical nuclei
• The lateral cell boundaries are indistinct (due to extensive
lateral membrane interdigitation with adjacent cells)
• Because distal tubule cells are flatter and smaller than those of
the proximal tubule, more nuclei are typically seen in sections of
distal tubules than in those of proximal tubules (the nuclei are
more crowded in DCT)
Collecting tubule
• Located in the medullary ray
• Cuboidal epithelium
• Clear cytoplasm, clear lumen, central nucleus
• Distinct cell boundaries
 Cortex of the kidney:

Proximal & distal

convoluted tubules
Renal corpuscle

Medullary ray

Collecting tubule
Here, close to the corticomedullary junction,
columns of straight tubules—medullary rays—
radiate out from the medulla. They alternate
with areas of cortical parenchyma, called cortical
labyrinths, that contain renal corpuscles and
convoluted tubules
PCT
Distal convoluted tubule
 Capillary
Small (from
lumens, vasa
resembling recta)
capillaries
but without
RBCs.

* Lined by squamous cells, thus resembling

capillaries but without RBCs
 (extra) Collecting ducts
• A connecting tubule extends from each nephron and
several join together in the cortical medullary rays to
form collecting ducts of simple cuboidal epithelium
• In the medulla these merge further, forming larger and
straighter collecting ducts with increasingly columnar
cells; the collecting ducts are cuboidal proximally and
transition gradually to a taller columnar lining distally.
• Approaching the apex of each renal pyramid, several
medullary collecting ducts merge again to form each
duct of Bellini, which delivers urine directly into the
minor calyx
 Collecting duct (of Bellini)
• Columnar cells
• Clear lumen and clear, pale cytoplasm
• Basal nuclei
• Distinct boundaries

Note: for collecting tubules/duct

• If surrounded by PCT and DCT → cortex
• If surrounded by capillaries and thin loops of
Henle → medulla
Collecting ducts (of Bellini):

Vasa
recta
 Testis- seminiferous tubules
• Seminiferous tubules consist of a central lumen lined by a
specialized epithelium that lies on a basal lamina and
contains two distinct cell populations:
– the Sertoli cells
– the spermatogenic cells (cells in different stages of
spermatogenesis)
• The wall of each tubule is made up of an outer layer of
fibrous tissue that also contains muscle-like (myoid) cells.
Contractions of these cells probably help to move
spermatozoa along the tubule
• These tubules are embedded in a meshwork of loose
connective tissue containing blood, lymphatic vessels,
nerves and interstitial cells of Leydig.
• Sertoli cells: elongated, branched, pyramidal epithelial cells extending from the basal lamina to
the lumen of the seminiferous tubule.
– The nuclei are ovoid and each contains an irregularly shaped nucleolus.
– The apical and lateral plasma membranes of Sertoli cells have an irregular outline because
they provide crypts to house the developing spermatogenic cells. At their basolateral
surface they form occluding junctions
• Leydig cells, found in the interstitium between seminiferous tubules, are round to polygonal
cells, have a large central nucleus and many lipid droplets. They occur singly or in clumps, and
have a eosinophilic cytoplasm. They produce and secrete testosterone.
• The spermatogenic cells arrange from the basal lamina to the lumen as follows:
– Spermatogonia: Lie next to the basal lamina (the most basal cells) and Have pale staining
cytoplasm.
– Primary spermatocytes: They lie next to the spermatogonia and are the largest germ
cells. Each has a large rounded nucleus with dark strands of chromatins (distinctive
spaghetti like chromatin)
– Secondary spermatocytes: They are about half the size of the primary spermatocytes, and
lie next to the primary spermatocyte, nearer the lumen. They are seen rarely in
histological sections.
– Spermatids: much smaller than spermatocytes and spermatogonia, and lie close to the
lumen and appear as several layers of small rounded cells with round dark nuclei.
– Spermatozoa: located in the lumen and differentiated from the spermatids and
recognized by their long flagella
 Testis Lumen of
seminiferous
tubule

Note: All of the smaller cells in

the upper half of the
epithelium (toward the lumen
of the tubule) are spermatids in
various stages of differentiation
into mature sperm. The
spermatids initially have round
nuclei, but these gradually
become smaller, denser and
assume the shape of sperm
heads. The smallest black
structures you see are the
heads of mature spermatids
about to be released into the
lumen. Their tails are difficult to
make out
Leydig cells
Prostate gland:
• The largest accessory glands, surrounded by a capsule composed of
a richly vascularized, dense, irregular collagenous connective tissue
with smooth muscles
• Compound tubuloalveolar glands
• It's lined by nonciliated columnar or cuboidal secretory epithelium
or pseudostratified columnar epithelium supported by a thin basal
lamina
• Each tubuloalveolar gland has its own duct that delivers the
secretory product into the prostatic urethra.
Note: the glands are embedded in a dense fibromuscular stroma in
which smooth muscle contracts at ejaculation.
• The lumen contains eosinophilic (pink), often partially calcified,
round to oval prostatic concretions called corpora amylacea, which
increase in number with age
• The secretory ducts of the prostate are lined by a simple columnar
epithelium, which changes to a transitional epithelium near
openings of the ducts into the urethra.
Prostate gland
 (extra) Ovaries
The surface of the ovary is covered by simple cuboidal epithelium
called ovarian surface epithelium (also called germinal epithelium).
Beneath this epithelium, the ovary has a capsule of dense connective
tissue called the tunica albuginea. The parenchyma of each ovary is
composed of 2 regions:
• The cortex (darker): the peripheral zone and consists of a stroma of
reticular fibers in which the ovarian follicles are embedded.
– Follicles at different stages of development can be seen.
• Medulla (lighter): the central region & consists of loose connective
tissue with numerous large blood vessels, lymphatic vessels &
nerves. It also contains smooth muscles. (no follicles)
Note: the demarcation between them is not well defined
 Ovarian follicles
Ovarian follicles consist of an oocyte with a surrounding epithelial layer of follicles.
Follicles may be primordial, primary, secondary, or Graafian (mature).
1. Primordial follicles are just under the tunica albuginea (they’re more
peripheral) and have not yet begun to develop. They contain a primary oocyte,
that has an eccentric nucleus with a prominent nucleolus. The chromosomes
are uncoiled and do not stain intensely. It’s surrounded by one layer of
squamous epithelial cells.
2. Primary follicle are slightly larger with a bigger oocyte. The follicular cells
divide and form a simple cuboidal epithelium (unilaminar primary follicle). The
follicular cells continue to proliferate, and form a stratified cuboidal
epithelium around the oocyte (multilaminar primary follicle).
– Their cytoplasm assumes a granular appearance, so the follicular cells are
now known as granulosa cells, which are surrounded by a basal lamina.
– Follicular cells participate with the oocyte to produce a thick, eosinophilic
coat called the zona pellucida.
– Interstitial (stroma) cells adjacent to the follicle differentiate into a
concentric sheath of theca interna cells.
 Ovarian follicles (cont.)
3. Secondary (antral) follicle: The primary oocyte enlarges. Small, irregular fluid-filled spaces develop
among the cells. The fluid is called liquor folliculi.
– Eventually, the spaces coalesce (and accumulate more fluid) to form a single cavity known as
the follicular antrum.
– An outer layer of theca externa cells also forms and is continuous with connective tissue cells
of the stroma.
4. Mature/Graafian follicle: with a diameter of 1.5-2.5 cm, it contains a primary oocyte that has reached
its maximum size.
– It has a large antral cavity. The antrum, the largest part of the follicle, is surrounded by
multiple granulosa cell layers, which are, in turn, surrounded by theca interna (comprising
several layers of rounded cells) and theca externa (less well defined, consisting of flat, spindle-
shaped cells that merge with the surrounding stroma)
– The oocyte is displaced to one side and adheres to the wall of the follicle (i.e., the rest of the
granulosa cells) through a pedicle formed by granulosa cells called the cumulus oophorus
– The granulosa cells that form the first layer around the ovum and are in close contact with the
zona pellucida become elongated and form the corona radiate. They accompany the ovum
when it leaves the ovary.
– The dominant follicle occupies the full breadth of the cortex and usually bulges above the
ovarian surface.
Ovary
Mature ( Graffian ) follicle