ZOOL 409
TUESDAY Objectives:
Continue examination of kidney. [This page
replicates Thursday objectives for week 10.]
Slides 62, 63, 64, also Slide from Ms. Doran -There's a LOT going on, histologically, in the
kidney. Begin by finding the basic regions.
1. Identify the principal regions of kidney.

Capsule -- the outermost layer of connective
tissue, enveloping the kidney (often missing
from dissected specimens).

Cortex -- the outer region of kidney,
consisting of convoluted tubules with
scattered renal corpuscles.

Medulla -- the deeper region of kidney,
consisting of parallel tubules comprising loops
of Henle and collecting ducts.

Pelvis -- the "drain" of the kidney, which
funnels urine from many tubules (collecting
ducts) into the ureter. Transitional
epithelium marks the beginning of the ureter.
Fat and large blood vessels may be found in
the pelvis.
As you look for fine details (below), keep in mind
how all of the details are organized into nephrons.
2. In the cortex, find renal corpuscles.
Distinguish the glomerulus from Bowman's
capsule.


Lab Week 11
Tuesday and Thursday
Try to visualize Bowman's space and
glomerular capillaries. Try to visualize (or at
least to imagine) three kinds of cells in the
glomerulus:
o capillary endothelium
o podocytes
o mesangial cells
Look for corpuscles cut in such a way that you
can distinguish:
o vascular pole (where the glomerulus is
attached);
o macula densa;
o urinary pole (where urinary space is drains
into the proximal convoluted tubule).
3. In the renal cortex, try to distinguish proximal
from distal tubules. Because each proximal convoluted
tubules is much longer than the associated distal convoluted
tubule, proximal tubules appear to be much more plentiful in
the cortex. Proximal tubules are generally a bit larger in
outside diameter, and their epithelial cells are more
eosinophilic and a bit larger than distal tubule epithelial cells.
(These distinctions will not be evaluated.)
4. In the medulla, distinguish loops of Henle from
collecting ducts. Collecting ducts are lined by pale
cuboidal cells with distinct boundaries between cells.
Cuboidal epithelial cells lining thick segments of the loop of
Henle are more eosinophilic, with indistinct boundaries. Thin
segments of the loops are lined by squamous cells with
bulging nuclei. (These distinctions will not be evaluated.)
5. In both cortex and medulla, note (or imagine)
renal stroma (especially peritubular capillaries
and vasa recta), in the very-thin regions in
between the tubules.
6. Slides 65, 66 -- bladder and ureter. Note
transitional epithelium, smooth muscle,
connective tissue. (A ureter is also included on
slide 62 in Boxes 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9.)
Practical Quiz
The quiz slides for kidney represent post mortem human
material, with less-than-ideal tissue preservation.
□
□
On slide of kidney
____Glomerulus in cortex
____Convoluted tubules in cortex
____Collecting duct in medulla
____Transitional epithelium of pelvis
On micrograph of glomerulus
____Bowman's space
____Podocyte
____Capillary lumen
____Filtration membrane
____Macula densa
THURSDAY Objectives:Male Reproductive Tract.
See reverse side of this page.
Last updated: 3 April 2013 / dgk
ZOOL 409
Lab Week 11
Tuesday and Thursday
TUESDAY Objectives: See reverse side.
THURSDAY Objectives:
Examine male reproductive tract.
1. Slide 67, 68 -- Testis.

Understand basic tissue organization of this
organ -- many seminiferous tubules lined by
columnar epithelium.

Distinguish Sertoli cells from germ-line cells.

Try to distinguish (or imagine) different stages
in meiosis and sperm maturation.

Note Leydig cells in testicular stroma.
2. Slide 68 -- Epididymis.

Understand basic tissue organization of this
organ: one long, highly coiled tubule, lined by
pseudostratified columnar epithelium, with
some smooth muscle in the wall.

Look for sperm cells in the lumen of the
tubule.
Practical Quiz
The quiz slides for male tract represent post
mortem human material, with less-than-ideal tissue
preservation, especially where epithelial cells are
unattached. Many details are nevertheless
recognizable.
□
□
The seminal vesicle has the appearance of
several large sacs with very convoluted
mucosal lining. Try to distinguish smooth
muscle in the wall of gland.
Slide 2 is preadolescent.
____Seminiferous tubules (simple columnar
epithelium, without spermatogenesis)
____Rete testis
____Epididymis
3. Slide 70 -- Seminal vesicle.

Slide 1: What organ?
____Capsule
____Blood vessel in stroma
□
Slide 3: What organ?
____Epithelium
____Smooth muscle
4. Slide 71 -- Prostate.

Note irregular shape of glandular epithelium.
Unlike most other exocrine glands, the
prostate does not have tidy acinar or tubular
organization.

Try to detect smooth muscle throughout the
glandular stroma..

Look for prostatic concretions (corpora
amylacea) in glandular lumens.
□
□
Slide 4: What organ?
____Secretory epithelium
____Fibromuscular stroma
Slide 5: Find the vas.
(Most of specimen is bladder wall.)
Last updated: 13 Dec. 2011 / dgk