HISTOLOGY OF THE

KIDNEY AND
URINARY PASSAGE
(Lectures 1 & 2)

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Slides.. Important ..Notes ..Extra..
Objectives:
By the end of this lecture, the student should be able to describe:
ü The microscopic structure of the renal cortex and medulla.
ü The histology of renal corpuscle, proximal and distal tubules, loop of
Henle, and collecting tubules & ducts.
ü The histological structure of juxtaglomerular apparatus.
ü The functional structures of the different parts of the kidney.
ü The microscopic structure of the Renal pelvis and ureter.
ü The microscopic structure of the urinary bladder and male and female
urethra
 KIDENY
it’s the
Uriniferous There are two
Kidney functional unit typres of nephrons:
of the kidney
tubule ü cortical
ü juxtamedullary

Collecting tubule Nephron

Medulla
Cortex ‘’formed of 6-12 renal
pyramids’’

Renal corpuscle Proximal tubule

ü The tubules are densely packed.
ü The tubules are separated by
thin stroma and basal lamina.
ü Dark brown and granular. ü The base of pyramid is toward the cortex
(cortico-medullary border) Thin limps of
Distal tubule
ü The apex (renal papilla) toward the hilum, it is Henle’s loop
perforated by 12 openings of the ducts of Bellini in
region called area cribrosa .
ü The apex is surrounded by a minor calyx.
ü 3 or 4 minor calyces join to form 3 or 4 major calyces
that form renal pelvis.
ü Pyramids are separated by cortical columns of Bertin.
 Renal Corpuscle
Renal Corpuscle

Contains:

Glomerulus : tuft (collection) of fenestrated

capillaries "without diaphragm”.
Partially covered by visceral layer of Bowman’s capsule.

Bowman’s capsule : (Parietal layer, urinary

space ,and visceral layer or podocytes).
Visceral layer: near to glomerulus and cover some parts of it.
Parietal layer: layer which is far from glomerulus.

Mesangial cells : (intra-glomerular cells).

Mesangial cells with its matrix called mesangium which
support the glomerulus
 Glomerular Filtration Barrier

Glomerular Filtration Barrier

Composed of: More Information:

1- Endothelial wall of the Also called glomerular

glomerular capillaries. endothelium.

2- The glomerular basal lamina Mainly composed of podocytes and

(inner and outer laminae rarae partially composed of Glomerular
and middle lamina densa). Endothelium.

Glomerular Epithelium.
Podocytes have primary
podocytes
(major) processes and
secondary (minor) processes
3- Visceral layer of Bowman’s (pedicles).
capsule (podocytes). Between pedicles (on the
filtration slits
surface of capillaries) there are
filtration slits that have
filtration slit diaphragms.
 - Most of tubules are in the cortex It’s longer in Juxta-
- Loop of henle and tubules extend Renal Tubules medullary nephron than in Because distal convoluted tubules
to medulla cortical nephron are much shorter than proximal
convoluted tubules, any section of
renal cortex presents many more
sections of proximal convoluted
tubules.
Distal
Proximal convoluted Thin limp of
Convoluted
tubule Henle’s loop
tubule

Composed of simple Composed of simple Formed of low

It has 3 regions:
cuboidal epithelium squamous epithelium cuboidal epithelium

Proximal
It’s full with Microvilli
Drains into the convoluted
because it is the place Acidophilic cytoplasm Descending thin limp Crest of Henle’s loop Distal tubules
collecting tubules
where most of the convoluted
reabsorption process tubules
take place

Have brush borders

Starts at the macula
(microvilli) and Ascending thin limp
densa
lateral interdigitations

The macula densa is a group of tall

columnar narrow cells in the juxtaglomerular
Well-defined basal apparatus –of the distal tubule- (close to the
lamina afferent arteriole)

- Proximal is the longest Collecting

one that’s why its duct
convoluted. Loop of
- Proximal is more than Henle’s
distal in the cortex.
Collecting tubules Renal interstitium
• Are composed of Simple Cuboidal Epithelium. • It is a very flimsy, scant amount of
loose CT that contains:
The lateral border is well defined because there isn’t lateral interdigitation.
Ø 1-Fibroblasts.
All parts of the collecting tubules ( Cortex & medulla) excepts the last part
Ø 2-Macrophages.
(papillary ducts) are laying with simple cuboidal epithelium.
Ø 3-Interstitial cells:
• They have 3 regions:
They secrete medullipin I, which is
Ø Cortical: simple cuboidal epithelium converted in the liver into medullipin II,
Ø Medullary: simple cuboidal epithelium that lowers blood pressure.
Ø Papillary ducts (ducts of Bellini):Simple Columnar Epith. (it must be lays with
S. Columnar Epith because it’s the biggest part)
• They aren’t part of nephron.
• They open in area cribrosa. ( ‫)ﻷﻧﮭﺎ ﻣﺨﺮﻣﮫ‬
• They are impermeable to water except in presence of ADH.
DR Raeesa’s Explanation:
The renal corpuscle has two poles
1- vascular pole
2- urinary pole for the passage of what will give me urine later.
The vascular pole is for the blood entry and excitation of arterioles:
(Afferent + Efferent)
The blood enters the afferent arteriole and goes out when its filtered through
efferent arteriole.
In the space between the two arterioles there is distal tubule, part of it is
adherent to the arterioles.
So the triangle of Juxtaglomerular apparatus is formed of 3 things::
part of afferent, part of efferent, part of distal tubule and in between there is
extra mesangial cells.

There are changes only in the cells of distal tubule adherent to the afferent
arterioles:
The changes:
1- Columnar epithelium with oval nuclei
2- The number of cells increase
3- There is macula dense

There are changes in the arterioles in the part adherent to the distal tubule.
the changes:
1- Modification in the tunica media (smooth muscle), so instead of spindle shaped
cell it will be cuboidal cell. After modification it called Juxtaglomerular cells which
is responsible for renin secretion.
 Juxtaglomerular Apparatus
It has 3 components:
A- The macula
• Tall cells
densa of distal
• centrally-placed nuclei
tubule
B- Juxtaglomerular
• modified smooth muscle of tunica media.
cells of afferent
• Nuclei are round with granular cytoplasm.
glomerular • They secrete renin.
arteriole
C- The
extraglomerular
mesangial cells
 Renal Calyces Ureter
Each papilla has minor Calyces in region
called area cribrosa and the urine drop Composed of three layers:
from here to major Calyces. 1- Mucosa:
Each calyx accepts urine from Is formed of transitional epithelium
the renal papilla of a renal and lamina propria.
pyramid.
They are lined with: 2- Muscularis (muscular coat):
1- Transitional epithelium Is formed of 2 layers of smooth muscle in the upper 2/3:
2- Lamina propria A- Inner longitudinal.
3- Smooth muscle B- Outer circular.
The urinary track stars from 2 layer like pelvis as it’s continuation of it.
minor calyces
Is formed of 3 layers of smooth muscle in the lower 1/3:
Minor calyces merge to form
major calyces (with same lining A- Inner longitudinal .
tissue as minor calyces). B- Middle circular.
Major calyces open into the C- Outer longitudinal.
renal pelvis. 3 layer like urinary bladder as it’s continuation of it.
3- Adventitia:
Fibrous C.T. covering.
N.B. No serosa because the ureter isn’t covered by
peritoneum as we take in anatomy.
 Urinary Bladder
It has the same structure as the lower third of ureter.

1- Mucosa:
Superficial layer of transitional epithelium has
dome-shaped cells (in empty bladder).

2- Muscularis (muscular coat):

It has 3 layers of smooth muscle:
inner and outer longitudinal (thin)
and middle circular (thick) layers.

3- Adventitia:
Its outer covering is adventitia or serosa.
It is similar the lower 1/3 of the ureter except that it has serosa
 EXTRA pictures:

Female Urethra Male Urethra

Female urethra is short & lined by: It is long and is divided into 3 regions:
- A- Epithelium: - 1- Prostatic urethra: is lined with transitional
1- Transitional epithelium near the bladder. epithelium.
2- Pseudostratified columnar epithelium. - 2- Membranous urethra and
3- Stratified squamous non-keratinized epith. - 3- Penile (spongy) urethra (the longest part):
Before the opining, But in the opining it will be keratinized like
skin
are both lined with Stratified columnar
epithelium With patches of pseudostratified
- B- Sub-epithelial fibroelastic CT
columnar epithelium.
that contains glands of Littre (mucus-secreting
- N.B. In navicular fossa (enlarged terminal
glands).
portion): Stratified squamous non-keratinized
- C- Smooth muscle: epithelium.
inner longitudinal and outer circular layers.
Very thin and ill-defined ‫ﯾﻌﻧﻲ ﺗﻧﺎﺗﯾف وﺷﻲء ﺑﺳﯾط ﻣو طﺑﻘﺔ ﻣﺣﺗرﻣﺔ زي‬
- N.B. The lamina propria contains mucus
‫اﻟﯾورﯾﺗر‬ secreting glands of Littre.

In both male and female there are glands of Littre in lamina propria
Its secretary gland that secret mucus to maintain the epithelium wet.
 MCQ’s
1. Which of the following is a feature of urinary bladder? 5. What are the type of cells found in macula densa?
a. The adventitia has no serosa
a. Simple squamous cells
b. The adventitia has serosa
b. Simple cuboidal cells
c. The structure is the same as upper third of ureter
c. Tall columnar cells
d. The inner and outer longitudinal muscle layers are thick
d. Transitional epithelium

2. Which part of the renal system secretes renin?

a. Juxtaglomerular cells of afferent glomerular arteriole 6. Which part of the male urethra has NO patches of
pseudostratified columnar epithelium?
b. Juxtaglomerular cells of efferent glomerular arteriole

c. Mesangial cells a. Membranous urethra

d. Macula densa b. Penile urethra
c. Prostatic urethra
3. What is the correct passage of urine out of these sequences?
d. All of them have the patches
a. Renal pyramid > major calyces > minor calyces > renal pelvis

b. Major calyces > minor calyces > renal pyramid > renal pelvis
7. What is the main lining epithelium found in the
c. Renal pyramid > minor calyces > major calyces > renal pelvis
urethra ?
d. Renal pelvis > major calcxes > minor calyces > renal pyramid
a. Simple squamous cells
4. What are the layers of muscles found in the ureter?
b. Simple cuboidal cells
7-D
a. 2 layers; Inner longitudinal and Outer circular.
6-C

c. Tall columnar cells

5-C
4-C b. 3 layers; inner and outer longitudinal, middle circular
3-C
2-A c. Both types, upper has 2 layers and lower has 3 layers d. Transitional epithelium
1-B
d. Ureter has no smooth muscles
 MCQ’s
9. Which one of the following is a compartment of renal corpuscle?
A- Glomerulus B- Bowman’s capsule
C- Mesangial cells D- All the above

10. Which one is considered as a layer from glomerular filtration barrier?

A- Parietal layer of bowman’s capsule B- Mesangial cells
C- Podocytes D- Henle’s loop

11. If we take section of renal cortex which one will be most prominent?
A- Distal convoluted tubule B- Proximal convoluted tubule
C- nether A nor B D- Both A and B

12. which one of the following contain simple columnar epithelium?

13-B
A- Ducts of Bellini B- Cortical of collecting tubules
12-A C- Proximal convoluted D- Medullary of collecting tubules
11-B

13. Thin limbs of Henle’s loop is longer in which of the following?

10-C

9-D
A- Cortical nephron B- juxta medullary nephron
C- Renal corpuscle D- All the above
 Thank you & good luck
- Histology team
Done by:
ü We’am Babaier
ü Reema AlBarrak Team leaders:
ü Shahad Al Anzan Rana Barasain
ü Amal AlQarni Faisal Alrabaii
ü Do’aa Walid
ü Ahmed Badahdah
ü Mutasem Alhasani
ü Omar Turkistani
ü Nawaf Aldarweesh
ü Mohammed Khojah

Please if you need anything or even further explanation contact us on:

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@histology436