Kidney - renal medulla (40x objective lens)


This image shows tangential sections through a duct of Bellini (papillary duct). These large ducts, typically found in the lower half of the medulla have walls formed by simple columnar epithelium of relatively tall cells with rounded apices and round nuclei located in the basal half of the cells. The height of the epithelial cells and the diameter of the lumen both increase as the ducts progress through the medulla towards their openings in the area cribrosa of the renal papilla.
In the medulla outside of the ducts are cross and tangential sections through numerous thin segments of Henle's loops , lined by simple squamous epithelium with oval nuclei that may bulge into the lumen of the tubule and capillaries of the vasa recta (medullary capillary plexus), lined by endothelial cells with flattened nuclei. Pink-staining erythrocytes are present in some of the capillaries.
Stain = H&E.

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Copyright Paul B. Bell, Jr. & Barbara Safiejko-Mroczka

The University of Oklahoma

Version 010603