Figure 25.1 The urinary system.

Hepatic veins (cut)

Esophagus (cut)
Inferior vena cava
Adrenal gland

Renal artery
Renal hilum

Aorta

Renal vein

Kidney
Iliac crest

Ureter

Rectum (cut)
Uterus (part of female
reproductive system)
Urinary
bladder
Urethra
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Figure 25.2b Position of the kidneys against the posterior body wall.

12th rib

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Figure 25.2a Position of the kidneys against the posterior body wall.

Anterior

Inferior
vena cava
Aorta
Peritoneum

Peritoneal cavity
(organs removed)

Supportive
tissue layers
Renal fascia
anterior
posterior

Renal
vein
Renal
artery

Perirenal
fat capsule
Fibrous
capsule

Body of
vertebra L2
Body wall
Posterior
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Figure 25.3 Internal anatomy of the kidney.

Renal
hilum
Renal cortex

Renal medulla

Major calyx
Papilla of
pyramid
Renal pelvis
Minor calyx
Ureter
Renal pyramid in
renal medulla
Renal column
Fibrous capsule
Photograph of right kidney, frontal section
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Diagrammatic view

Figure 25.4a Blood vessels of the kidney.

Cortical radiate
vein
Cortical radiate
artery

Arcuate vein
Arcuate artery
Interlobar vein
Interlobar artery
Segmental arteries
Renal vein
Renal artery
Renal pelvis
Ureter

Renal medulla

Renal cortex
Frontal section illustrating major blood vessels
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Figure 25.4b Blood vessels of the kidney.

Aorta

Inferior vena cava

Renal artery

Renal vein

Segmental artery

Interlobar vein

Interlobar artery

Arcuate vein

Arcuate artery
Cortical radiate artery

Afferent arteriole

Cortical radiate vein

Peritubular
capillaries
or vasa recta
Efferent arteriole

Glomerulus (capillaries)

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Nephron-associated blood vessels

(see Figure 25.7)
(b) Path of blood flow through renal blood vessels

Figure 25.5 Location and structure of nephrons.

Renal cortex
Renal medulla

Glomerular capsule: parietal layer

Renal pelvis
Ureter
Kidney
Renal corpuscle
Glomerular capsule
Glomerulus

Distal
convoluted
tubule

Basement
membrane
Podocyte
Fenestrated endothelium
of the glomerulus
Glomerular capsule: visceral layer
Apical
microvilli

Mitochondria

Highly infolded basolateral

membrane
Proximal convoluted tubule cells

Proximal
convoluted
tubule

Cortex

Apical side

Medulla
Thin segment
Nephron loop
Descending limb
Ascending limb

Thick
segment

Basolateral side
Distal convoluted tubule cells
Nephron loop (thin-segment) cells

Collecting
duct

Principal
cell

Intercalated cell

Collecting duct cells

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Figure 25.5 Location and structure of nephrons. (2 of 7)

Glomerular capsule: parietal layer

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Figure 25.5 Location and structure of nephrons. (3 of 7)

Basement
membrane

Podocyte
Fenestrated endothelium
of the glomerulus
Glomerular capsule: visceral layer

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Figure 25.5 Location and structure of nephrons. (4 of 7)

Apical microvilli

Mitochondria

Highly infolded
basolateral membrane
Proximal convoluted tubule cells
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Figure 25.5 Location and structure of nephrons. (6 of 7)

Nephron loop (thin-segment) cells

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Figure 25.5 Location and structure of nephrons. (5 of 7)

Apical side

Basolateral side

Distal convoluted tubule cells

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Figure 25.5 Location and structure of nephrons. (7 of 7)

Principal cell

Collecting duct cells

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Intercalated cell

Figure 25.5 Location and structure of nephrons.

Renal cortex
Renal medulla

Glomerular capsule: parietal layer

Renal pelvis
Ureter
Kidney
Renal corpuscle
Glomerular capsule
Glomerulus

Distal
convoluted
tubule

Basement
membrane
Podocyte
Fenestrated endothelium
of the glomerulus
Glomerular capsule: visceral layer
Apical
microvilli

Mitochondria

Highly infolded basolateral

membrane
Proximal convoluted tubule cells

Proximal
convoluted
tubule

Cortex

Apical side

Medulla
Thin segment
Nephron loop
Descending limb
Ascending limb

Thick
segment

Basolateral side
Distal convoluted tubule cells
Nephron loop (thin-segment) cells

Collecting
duct

Principal
cell

Intercalated cell

Collecting duct cells

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Figure 25.7a Blood vessels of cortical and juxtamedullary nephrons.

Cortical nephron
Short nephron loop
Glomerulus further from the cortex-medulla junction
Efferent arteriole supplies peritubular capillaries

Glomerulus
Renal
corpuscle (capillaries)
Glomerular
capsule

Efferent
arteriole

Proximal
convoluted
tubule

Juxtamedullary nephron
Long nephron loop
Glomerulus closer to the cortex-medulla junction
Efferent arteriole supplies vasa recta
Cortical radiate vein
Cortical radiate artery
Afferent arteriole
Collecting duct
Distal convoluted tubule
Afferent
Efferent
arteriole
arteriole

Peritubular
capillaries
Ascending
limb of
nephron loop

Kidney

Cortex-medulla
junction

Arcuate vein
Arcuate artery

Vasa recta

Nephron loop
Descending
limb of
nephron loop

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Figure 25.7a Blood vessels of cortical and juxtamedullary nephrons.

Cortical nephron
Short nephron loop
Glomerulus further from the cortex-medulla junction
Efferent arteriole supplies peritubular capillaries

Glomerulus
Renal
corpuscle (capillaries)
Glomerular
capsule

Efferent
arteriole

Proximal
convoluted
tubule

Juxtamedullary nephron
Long nephron loop
Glomerulus closer to the cortex-medulla junction
Efferent arteriole supplies vasa recta
Cortical radiate vein
Cortical radiate artery
Afferent arteriole
Collecting duct
Distal convoluted tubule
Afferent
Efferent
arteriole
arteriole

Peritubular
capillaries
Ascending
limb of
nephron loop

Kidney

Cortex-medulla
junction

Arcuate vein
Arcuate artery

Vasa recta

Nephron loop
Descending
limb of
nephron loop

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Figure 25.8 Juxtaglomerular complex (JGC) of a nephron.

Glomerular
capsule
Efferent
arteriole

Afferent
arteriole

Glomerulus
Parietal layer
of glomerular
capsule
Capsular
space

Foot
processes
of podocytes
Podocyte cell body
(visceral layer)

Red blood cell

Proximal
tubule cell

Efferent
arteriole
Juxtaglomerular
complex
Macula densa
cells
of the ascending
limb of nephron loop
Extraglomerular
mesangial cells
Granular
cells
Afferent
arteriole

Lumens of
glomerular
capillaries
Endothelial cell
of glomerular
capillary
Glomerular mesangial
cells

Juxtaglomerular complex

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Renal corpuscle

Figure 25.9 A schematic, uncoiled nephron showing the three major renal processes that adjust plasma composition.

Afferent
arteriole

Glomerular
capillaries
Efferent arteriole

Cortical
radiate
artery
1

Glomerular capsule
Renal tubule and
collecting duct
containing filtrate

Peritubular
capillary

To cortical radiate vein

Three major
renal processes: Urine
Glomerular filtration
1
Tubular reabsorption
2
Tubular secretion
3
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Figure 25.10a The filtration membrane.

Efferent
arteriole

Glomerular
capsular space

Cytoplasmic extensions
of podocytes
Filtration slits

Podocyte
cell body

Afferent
arteriole
Glomerular
capillary covered by
podocytes that form
the visceral layer of
glomerular capsule

Proximal
convoluted
tubule
Parietal layer
Fenestrations
of glomerular
(pores)
capsule

Glomerular capillaries and the

visceral layer of the glomerular
capsule

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Glomerular
capillary endothelium
(podocyte covering
and basement
membrane removed)

Foot
processes
of podocyte

Figure 25.10b The filtration membrane.

Filtration slits

Podocyte
cell body

Foot
processes

Filtration slits between the podocyte foot processes

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Figure 25.10c The filtration membrane.

Capillary

Filtration membrane
Capillary endothelium
Basement membrane
Foot processes of podocyte
of glomerular capsule

Filtration
slit
Plasma

Fenestration
(pore)

Filtrate
in capsular
space

Slit
diaphragm

Foot
processes
of podocyte
Three layers of the filtration membrane

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Figure 25.11 Forces determining net filtration pressure (NFP).

Efferent
arteriole

Glomerular
capsule

HPgc = 55 mm Hg
OPgc = 30 mm Hg
Afferent
arteriole

HPcs = 15 mm Hg

NFP = Net filtration pressure

= outward pressures inward pressures
= (HPgc) (HPcs + OPgc)
= (55) (15 + 30)
= 10 mm Hg
2013 Pearson Education, Inc.