Renal papilla

Renal papilla

1. Renal pyramid
2. Efferent artery
3. Renal artery
4. Renal vein
5. Renal hilum
6. Renal pelvis
7. Ureter
8. Minor calyx
9. Renal capsule

10. Inferior renal capsule
11. Superior renal capsule
12. Afferent vein
13. Nephron
14. Minor calyx
15. Major calyx
16. Renal papilla
17. Renal column

Frontal section through the kidney.

In the kidney, the renal papilla is the location where the medullary pyramids empty urine into the minor calyx. Histologically it is marked by medullary collecting ducts converging to form a duct of Bellini to channel the fluid. Transitional epithelium begins to be seen.

Role in disease

Some chemicals toxic to the kidney, called nephrotoxins, exert their damage at the renal papillae. Damage to the renal papillae may result in death to cells in this region of the kidney, called renal papillary necrosis.

External links

SUNY Labs 40:06-0107 - "Posterior Abdominal Wall: Internal Structure of a Kidney"
Histology at BU 15901loa - "Urinary System: neonatal kidney"
posteriorabdomen at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (renalpelvis)

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

Anatomy: urinary system (TA A08, TH H3.06, GA 11.1215)

Abdomen

Kidneys

Layers	Renal fascia • Renal capsule • Renal cortex (Renal column) • Renal medulla (Renal sinus, Renal pyramids, medullary interstitium) • Renal lobe • Cortical lobule • Medullary ray • Nephron

Intrarenal arteries	(Renal artery) → Segmental arteries → Interlobar arteries → Arcuate arteries → Interlobular arteries → Afferent arterioles

Renal tubule	Renal corpuscle (Glomerulus, Bowman's capsule) → Proximal tubule → Loop of Henle (Descending, Thin ascending, Thick ascending) → Distal convoluted tubule → Connecting tubule → Collecting ducts aka Duct of Belini → Renal papilla → Minor calyx → Major calyx → Renal pelvis

Intrarenal veins	Efferent arterioles → Peritubular capillaries / Vasa recta → Arcuate vein → Interlobar veins → (Renal vein)

JGA	Macula densa • Juxtaglomerular cells • Mesangium/Extraglomerular mesangial cell

Filtration	Glomerular basement membrane • Podocyte • Filtration slits • Mesangium/Intraglomerular mesangial cell • Tubular fluid

Ureters

Orifice of ureter • Adventitia • Muscular layer • Mucosa

Pelvis

Bladder	Apex • Uvula • Neck • Median umbilical ligament • Muscular layer (Trigone • Detrusor) • Mucosa • Submucosa

Urethra	Urethral sphincters (External sphincter muscle of male urethra, External sphincter muscle of female urethra, Internal sphincter muscle of urethra)

M: URI

anat/phys/devp/cell

noco/acba/cong/tumr, sysi/epon, urte

proc/itvp, drug (G4B), blte, urte

Renal papilla

Role in disease

See also

External links