Histology

Question 1

What is considered a lobe of a kidney?

Answer 1

Each medullary pyramid and its associated cortical tissue

Question 2

What is the functional unit of the kidney?

Answer 2

Nephron

Question 3

What is the renal corpuscle?

Answer 3

The glomerulus and Bowman’s capsule

Question 4

What is the main role of the renal corpuscle?

Answer 4

Production and collection of glomerular filtrate

Question 5

What is the glomerulus?

Answer 5

A ball of capillaries

Question 6

What is Bowman’s capsule?

Answer 6

Cup of squamous epithelium which the capillaries invaginate into

Question 7

What is the blood supply for the glomerulus?

Answer 7

Supplied by an afferent arteriole

Drained by an efferent arteriole

Question 8

What layers separate the blood from the glomerular filtrate?

Answer 8

Capillary endothelium

Layer of specialised epithelial cells (podocytes)

Question 9

Describe podocytes.

Answer 9

Fenestrated with pores

Interlocking cell processing forming filtration slits

Question 10

How does the basal lamina between the layers separating blood from the glomerular filtrate differ from normal?

Answer 10

Much thicker than usual

Question 11

What cells form a connective tissue core in the renal corpuscle?

Answer 11

Mesangial cells - mesangium

Question 12

What are the functions of the mesangium?

Answer 12

Support

Removal of debris

Question 13

What is the function the proximal convoluted tubule?

Answer 13

Reabsorption of water, proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates and glucose - the things the body doesn’t want to lose

Question 14

What is the function of the loop of Henle?

Answer 14

To create a hyperosmotic environment in the medulla

Question 15

What are the three parts of the loop of Henle?

Answer 15

Thick descending limb
Thin descending limb which loops round to come out of the medulla as the thin ascending limb
Thick ascending limb

Question 16

What is the blood supply to the medulla?

Answer 16

The vasa recta

Question 17

Describe the vasa recta.

Answer 17

Loops of blood vessels that dip down into the medulla and then climb back up to the cortex with the loop of Henle

Question 18

What is the function of the distal convoluted tubule?

Answer 18

Acid-base and water balance (absorption of water Na and bicarbonate, excretion of K andH ions) - a finishing tubule to make sure the balance is right

Question 19

What is reabsorption of Na+ in the DCT controlled by?

Answer 19

Aldosterone

Question 20

What is the function of the collecting ducts?

Answer 20

Reabsorption water under the control of ADH

Question 21

What are medullary rays?

Answer 21

Parallel bundles of collecting ducts and the straight segments of the proximal and distal tubules that appear to the naked eye as striations

Question 22

How does ADH control reabsorption of water?

Answer 22

Increases the permeability of the collecting duct to water

Question 23

What specialised epithelium lines the conducting parts of the urinary system?

Answer 23

Urothelium

Question 24

In what way is urothelium specialised?

Answer 24

Variability in thickness of cells represents different states of distension
Special surface structures to provide a highly impermeable barrier

Question 25

Which muscle of the bladder is responsible for micturition?

Answer 25

Detruser muscle

Question 26

Describe the histology of the female urethra.

Answer 26

Initially lined by transitional epithelium, which turns into stratified squamous near its termination

Question 27

Describe the histology of the male urethra.

Answer 27

Prostatic urethra lined by transitional epithelium Membranous urethra transitions to stratified columnar Penile urethra lined by stratified columnar which becomes stratified squamous near the tip