Kidney Cross Section From Macro to Micro

Purpose
We’ve all seen the standard anatomy of the kidney cross section illustrations in textbooks. This illustration shows a new spin on the anatomy of the kidney by combining the standard cross section view of gross kidney anatomy then highlighting the internal structures of the medulla, calices, pelvis, ureter,and cortex before delving deeper into the internal anatomy revealing the relationship of the renal corpuscles, collecting ducts, juxtamedullary renal corpuscle, cortical renal corpuscle, Bowman’s capsule, distal convoluted tubule, proximal convoluted tubule, Loop of Henle, glomerular tuft, macula densa, mesangium and podocyte cells. Instead of having to flip from one page of an anatomy atlas to another, all of the structures are combined into a single continuous dynamic illustration which allows the viewer to trace the path of blood flow through the kidney, and the flow of waste products as urine is formed. The relationship of all the different structures can easily be traced back to how they relate to one another within the confines of the organ.

Key Elements of kidney cross section illustration:

• medulla
• calices
• pelvis
• ureter
• cortex
• renal corpuscles
• collecting ducts
• juxtamedullary renal corpuscle
• cortical renal corpuscle
• Bowman’s capsule
• distal convoluted tubule
• proximal convoluted tubule
• Loop of Henle
• glomerular tuft
• macula densa
• mesangium
• podocyte cells