Kidney Anatomy and Histology

Urinary System and Body Fluids

•Location and External Anatomy of the
Kidneys
Functions of the Urinary System – Lie behind the peritoneum on the posterior
•The kidneys produce urine abdominal wall on each side of the vertebral
•The ureters transport urine to the urinary bladder column
•The urinary bladder stores urine – Surrounded by a renal capsule and fat and is
•The urethra transports urine to the outside of the held in place by the renal fascia
body – The hilum, on the medial side of each kidney, is
where blood vessels and nerves enter and exit
the kidney

Functions of the Urinary System

•The following functions are performed by the
kidneys:
1. Excretion (eliminates waste)
2. Regulate blood volume and pressure
3. Regulation of the concentration of solutes
in the blood (ion concentration)
4. Regulation of extracellular fluid pH
5. Regulation of red blood cell synthesis
6. Vitamin D production

120 mmHg- 110-99

80 mmHg- 60

R- respiratory
O- opposite Internal Anatomy and Histology of the Kidney
M- etabolic
● The two layers of the kidney are the cortex
E- equal
and the medulla
- The renal columns extend into the medulla
pH- 7.35-7.45 between the renal pyramids
PCO2- 35.45= 80 - The tips of the renal pyramids project to
PO2- 80-100 the minor calyces
HCO3- 22-26 ● The minor calyces open into the major
calyces, which open into the renal pelvis
● The renal pelvis leads to the ureter
 Internal Anatomy and Histology of the Kidneys
•Bowman’s capsule has an outer parietal layer
and an inner visceral layer consisting of
podocytes
•The filtration membrane consists of
- Endothelium of glomerular capillaries (with
fenestrae)
- Basement membrane
- Podocytes (with filtration slits)
-
Capillary Beds of the Nephron
•Every nephron has two capillary beds
- Glomerulus
- Peritubular capillaries
•Each glomerulus is:
- Fed by an afferent arteriole
- Drained by an efferent arteriole

Beds of the Nephron

•Blood pressure in the glomerulus is high
Internal Anatomy and Histology of the because:
Kidneys
- Arterioles are high-resistance vessels
•The functional unit of the kidney is the nephron - Afferent arterioles have larger diameters
•The parts of a nephron are the renal corpuscle, than efferent arterioles
the proximal convoluted tubule, the loop of Henle,
and the distal convoluted tubule •Fluids and solutes are forced out of the blood
throughout the entire length of the glomerulus
- The renal corpuscle is Bowman’s capsule
and the glomerulus.
Arteries and Veins of the Kidneys
- Fluid leaves the blood in the glomerulus
and enters Bowman’s capsule •The renal artery enters the kidney and
- The nephron empties through the distal branches many times, forming afferent arterioles,
convoluted tubule into a collecting duct which supply the glomeruli
- The collecting ducts empty into papillary •Efferent arterioles from the glomeruli supply the
ducts, which empty into minor calyces peritubular capillaries and vasa recta
- •The peritubular capillaries and vasa recta join
small veins that converge to form the renal vein,
Internal Anatomy and Histology of the
which exits the kidney
Kidneys
•The juxtaglomerular apparatus consists of the
•Cortical nephrons
granular cells of the afferent arteriole and the
- 85% of total nephrons macula densa (part of the distal convoluted
- Located in the cortex tubule)
•Juxtamedullary nephrons
- Are located at the cortex-medulla junction
- Have loops of Henle that deeply invade the
medulla
- Have extensive thin segments
- Are involved in the production of
concentrated urine
 Urine Formation

Urine Production
•Filtration
- The glomerular filtration rate is the amount
of filtrate produce per minute
Urine Production - The filtrate is plasma minus blood cells,
platelets, and blood proteins
•The kidneys filter the body’s entire plasma
● Most (99%) of the filtrate is reabsorbed
volume 60 times each day
•The filtrate: - Filtration pressure is responsible for filtrate
formation.
- Contains all plasma components except
•Glomerular capillary pressure minus capsule
protein
pressure minus blood colloid osmotic pressure
- Loses water, nutrients, and essential ions
to become urine •Changes are primarily caused by changes in
glomerular capillary pressure
•The urine contains metabolic wastes and
unneeded substances
Filtration Pressure
•Urine is produced by the processes of
- Filtration
- Tubular reabsorption
- Tubular secretion

Basic Renal Processes

Urine Production
•Regulation of Glomerular Filtration Rate
- Autoregulation dampens systemic blood
pressure changes by altering afferent
arteriole diameter
•Under normal conditions, renal autoregulation
maintains a nearly constant glomerular filtration
rate
•Autoregulation entails two types of control
- Myogenic: responds to changes in
pressure in the renal blood vessels
- Flow-dependent tubuloglomerular
feedback: senses changes in the
juxtaglomerular apparatus
- Sympathetic stimulation decreases renal
blood flow and afferent arteriole diameter

Urine Production
•Tubular Reabsorption
- There is a medullary concentration
gradient from the cortex (300 mOsm/kg) to
the tip of the renal pyramids (1200
mOsm/kg)
- A transepithelial process whereby most
tubule contents are returned to the blood
- Transported substances move through
three membranes
● Luminal and basolateral membranes of
tubule cells
● Endothelium of peritubular capillaries
–Only Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and some Na+ are
reabsorbed via paracellular pathways

Urine Production
•Tubular Reabsorption
- Filtrate is reabsorbed by diffusion,
facilitated diffusion, active transport,
symport, and antiport from the nephron Urine Production
and collecting ducts into the peritubular •Tubular Secretion
capillaries and vasa recta - Substances are secreted in the proximal or
•The proximal convoluted tubule reabsorbs 65% distal convoluted tubules and the collecting
of filtrate water and NaCl (solutes) ducts
•The descending limb of the loop of Henle - Hydrogen ions, K+, and some substances
reabsorbs 15% of filtrate water not produced in the body are secreted by
antiport mechanisms
•The ascending limb of the loop of Henle
reabsorbs 25% of filtrate NaCl
•The distal convoluted tubules and collecting
ducts reabsorb up to 19% of filtrate water and
9%-10% of filtrate water respectively
- Waste products and toxic substances are
concentrated in the urine
Summary of Urine Concentrating Mechanism
Hormonal Regulation of Urine Concentration
and Volume
•Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)
- Secreted by the posterior pituitary
- Inhibits diuresis
•This equalizes the osmolality of the filtrate
and the interstitial fluid
–Increases water permeability in the distal
convoluted tubules and collecting ducts by
stimulating the insertion of aquaporin-2
molecules into apical membranes
–In the presence of ADH, 99% of the water in
filtrate is reabsorbed

Hormonal Regulation of Urine Concentration

and Volume

•ADH regulates blood osmolality by altering water

reabsorption
Urine Production
–An increase in blood osmolality or a significant
•Maintaining the Medullary Concentration
decrease in blood pressure stimulates increased
Gradient
ADH secretion
- Necessary for the production of •Increases water reabsorption and as a result
concentrated urine - Blood osmolality decreases
- The addition of solutes increases the - Blood volume and blood pressure increase
medullary interstitial fluid concentration. - Urine concentration increases
•The ascending limb of the loop of Henle adds - Urine volume decreases
NaCl, but not water –A decrease in blood osmolality or a significant
•Urea cycles between the collecting ducts and increase in blood pressure stimulates decreased
the thin segments of the loop of Henle ADH secretion
•Decreases water reabsorption and as a result
- The vasa recta uses a countercurrent
mechanism that removes reabsorbed - Blood osmolality increases
water and solutes without disturbing the - Blood volume and blood pressure
medullary concentration gradient decrease
- Urine concentration decreases
- Urine volume increases
 Effect of ADH on Water Movement Diuretics
● Drugs that increase the urine volume.
● Some diuretics inhibit the active transport
of Na in the nephron.
● Explain how these diuretic drugs could
cause an increase in urine volume

Alcohol and Caffeine

•Alcohol- Inhibits the secretion of ADHà
EFFECT?
•Caffeine- increase blood flow to kidneys à
increased loss of Na and Cl in urineà EFFECT?

Effect of Aldosterone on Ion Movement

Hormonal Regulation of Urine Concentration

and Volume

•Renin—Angiotensin—Aldosterone
- Renin, produced by the kidneys, causes
the conversion of angiotensinogen to
angiotensin I
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme converts
angiotensin I into angiotensin II, which
stimulates aldosterone secretion from the
adrenal cortex
- Aldosterone affects Na+ and Cl - transport
in the nephron and collecting ducts by
stimulating an increase in transport
proteins
Urine Movement
•Anatomy and Histology of the Ureters and
•Renin—Angiotensin—Aldosterone Urinary Bladder
- Aldosterone regulates the body’s water - The walls of the ureter and urinary bladder
content by regulating the body’s Na+ consist of
content (assuming that ADH maintains ● Epithelium
blood osmolality) - Transitional epithelium permits changes in
•A decrease in blood pressure results in size
increased renin secretion, aldosterone secretion, ● Lamina propria
Na+ reabsorption, blood volume, and blood ● Muscular coat
pressure - Contraction of the smooth muscle moves
•An increase in blood pressure results in urine
decreased renin secretion, aldosterone secretion, ● Fibrous adventitia
Na+ reabsorption, blood volume, and blood
pressure
•Anatomy and Histology of the Urethra
- The urethra is lined with transitional and
stratified squamous epithelium
● Males have an internal urethral sphincter
of smooth muscle that prevents retrograde
ejaculation of semen
● An external urethral sphincter of skeletal
muscle allows voluntary control of urination

Effects of Aging on the Kidneys

Urine Movement •There is a gradual decrease in the size of the
•Urine Flow Through the Nephron and Ureters kidney
- A pressure gradient causes urine to flow - Associated with a decrease in renal blood
from Bowman’s capsule to the ureters flow
- Peristalsis moves urine through the ureters - The number of functional nephrons
decreases
•Renin secretion and vitamin D synthesis
•Micturition Reflex decreases
- Stretch of the urinary bladder stimulates a •Nephron secretion and absorbtion declines
reflex that causes the urinary bladder to
contract and inhibits the external urethral
sphincter
- Higher brain centers can stimulate or
inhibit the micturition reflex
- Voluntary relaxation of the external urethral
sphincter permits urination and contraction
prevents it