Urinary System and Kidney Anatomy

The kidney is a bean-shaped organ with a cortex (outer layer) and medulla (inner layer). It has a concave hilum leading to the renal sinus, which contains renal vessels and ureter.

A functional unit of the kidney composed of one medullary pyramid and the surrounding cortical tissue.

The nephron is the structural and functional unit of the kidney, consisting of a glomerulus and a tubule. It's responsible for producing urine.

These tubules are part of the nephron and consist of nephrons producing urine and collecting tubules concentrating waste.

A tuft of capillaries within the nephron, responsible for filtering blood.

The outer layer of the kidney. It contains the glomeruli and convoluted tubules.

The inner layer of the kidney which contains the collecting ducts.

The hollowed-out area within the kidney, which contains the renal pelvis, blood vessels, and nerves.

Plays a crucial role in the blood-renal barrier, essential for glomerular filtration, and basement membrane regeneration.

Star-shaped cells with processes (major and minor) ending in foot-like structures (pedicles) on the basement membrane; arranged to alternate across capillaries

A complex structure composed of glomerular capillaries, basement membrane, and podocytes, which filter blood.

Fluid formed by filtering blood in the glomerulus, which contains essential nutrients and metabolic wastes.

Outer parietal (simple squamous epithelium) and inner visceral (podocytes) layers surrounding glomerular capillaries. Space between layers is capsular space.

Specialized cells within the glomerulus important for regulation of glomerular filtration.

Part of the nephron, receiving filtrate from glomerulus and highly convoluted, continuous with descending loop of Henle.

Layer between podocytes and glomerular capillaries formed from glycoproteins; crucial for filtration.

Modified smooth muscle cells in the afferent arteriole wall, containing secretory granules. They're key to blood pressure regulation.

Specialized cells in the distal convoluted tubule, crucial for sensing sodium levels in the filtrate.

Structures outside the nephron; involved in reabsorption and secretion, which concentrates urine and contributes to its volume.

The network of blood vessels that supplies blood to the kidneys and removes waste.

Branches of renal arteries, passing between the renal pyramids of the kidney.

The major artery that supplies blood to each kidney.

The final structure formed by the merged collecting tubules in the kidney's medulla, its opening to the minor calyx.

Part of the nephron, responsible for reabsorbing crucial substances and ions like water, glucose, and electrolytes. This leads to an isotonic solution; the final product of the PCT is water, glucose, amino acids, and other nutrients, along with many ions.

U-shaped section of the nephron, situated mostly in the medulla; crucial for establishing a concentration gradient in the kidney for water reabsorption.

Part of the Loop of Henle that is highly permeable to water but impermeable to ions like sodium, and located in the medulla.

Part of the Loop of Henle, permeable to sodium but impermeable to water, located in medulla and cortex.

Part of the nephron situated after the loop of Henle, which further adjusts the composition of urine through selective secretion and reabsorption of ions.

Highly folded structures in the cell membrane of ion transport cells in tubules(PCT, DCT,Loop of Henle), essential for active transport of ions, which leads and result of increased surface area for ion tranasport.

Tiny, finger-like projections on the apical surface of epithelial cells, which increase surface area for absorption and secretion.

Inner folds of the cell membrane at the base of the cell (basal part of the cell) in the PCT, DCT, and Loop of Henle; essential for efficient ion transport across the membrane

Branch off interlobar arteries at the cortico-medullary junction; end arteries.

Small arteries that carry blood into glomeruli (Bowman's capsule).

First capillary plexus, where blood is filtered in the nephron.

Second capillary plexus, surround proximal and distal convoluted tubules.

Straight veins that drain the arteriolae rectae in the medulla.

Tube that carries urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder.