Lab 4: Anatomy and Histology of the kidney

Question 1

Define the paravertebral gutter and name a structure that lies in it

Answer 1

The patavertebral gutters are the rounded expanse of ribs formed when the back parts of the ribs curve from the outside edges towards the spinal column.

The kidneys lie in the paravertebral gutter

Question 2

Describe the position of the right kidney

Answer 2

The right kidney sits just below the diaphragm and posterior to the liver

Question 3

Describe the position of the left kidney

Answer 3

The left kidney sits below the diaphragm and posterior to the spleen

Question 4

The kidney is surrounded by two layers of fat.

Name these layers

Answer 4

The perirenal and pararenal fat

Question 5

Describe the renal sinus

Answer 5

Fat filled compartment that contains branches of the renal artery, vein; major and minor calyces.

Main component is adipose tissue

Question 6

The segmental branches of the renal artery are known as?

Answer 6

End arteries- arteries which do not anastomose with their neighbors

Question 7

Which veins drain into the left renal vein?

Answer 7

Left suprarenal vein

Left gonadal vein

Question 8

The nephron is composed of _____ and _____.

Answer 8

Renal corpuscle

Renal tubule

Question 9

Renal tubules have a ____ loop of henle and ___ the medulla

Answer 9

Short

Does not penetrate

Question 10

Juxtamedullary nephrons have a ____ loop of henle and ___ the medulla

Answer 10

Long

extend deep into the medulla

Question 11

The ureter conducts urine from ____ to ______

Answer 11

Renal pelvis

Urinary bladder

Question 12

Describe the movement of the urine in the ureter

Answer 12

Peristaltic like contractions propel the urine

This is due to the mucous membrane and large amount of muscle in the ureter wall

Question 13

What structures lie close to the superior poles of the kidneys?

Answer 13

Adrenal gland / The diaphragm and 12^th rib lie at its superior end.

Question 14

The left kidney is slightly higher up than the right. What other anatomical structure(s) is/are closely related to the superior pole of the left kidney?

Answer 14

Spleen, stomach, and through the diaphragm, the left kidney is also closely related to the 11^th rib and pleura

Question 15

What structure is related to the medial borders of the kidneys?

Answer 15

Psoas major.

Right kidney, the inferior vena cava, renal vessels and ureter are close by.

Left kidney, there is the adrenal gland, renal and suprarenal vessels and ureter.

Question 16

What are the anterior relations to the kidney?

Answer 16

These are asymmetric. On the right, from above downwards, is the liver, second part of the duodenum, right flexure of the colon and jejunum. On the left, there is the spleen, and stomach, splenic vessels, tail of pancreas, left colic flexure and jejunum

Question 17

If the ureter was found intra-operatively, how would you differentiate it from a blood vessel?

Answer 17

It undergoes peristalsis, which can be seen intra-operatively

Question 18

Identify the psoas major. What does this muscle do?

Answer 18

Flexion of the hip, flexes and laterally rotates thigh.

Question 19

Where do the renal arteries arise from?

Answer 19

Abdominal aorta

Question 20

What part of the kidney are the renal corpuscles primarily located in?

Answer 20

Renal cortex

Question 21

What does the medullary rays consist of?

Answer 21

Medullary rays are portions of the medulla extend into the cortex as the medullary rays, collections of straight renal tubules.

Group of straight tubules that are connected to the collecting ducts and drain urine from the nephron. They can appear in the cortex and the medulla.

Question 22

The kidneys lie in which spinal cord level

Answer 22

T11 to L3

Question 23

What type of epithelium forms Bowman’s capsule.

Answer 23

Simple squamous, becoming cuboidal at the proximal tubule.

Question 24

What is the macula densa

Answer 24

A patch of densely-packed epithelial cell nuclei along the distal convoluted tubule, adjacent to the afferent arteriole at the vascular pole of the corpuscle from which the tubule arose

Question 25

Identify this anatomical variation

Answer 25

Horseshoe kidney

Question 26

What has caused a horseshoe kidney to develop?

Answer 26

Fusion of the kidneys when ascending to the abdomen

Question 27

What are the problems associated with a horseshoe kidney

Answer 27

No massive problems

May have increased risk of urinary tract infections

Question 28

What is the function of the Podocyte

Answer 28

Foot processes assist in filtration barrier function by repelling negatively-charged molecules

Question 29

Name these parts of the kidney

Answer 29