Renal cortex

Anatomy
The cortex of the kidney is lighter with a slight brown tinge, granular, has two layers:
 * 1) outer layer – forms the surface layer of the kidney parenchyma (0.5–1 cm);
 * 2) inner layer – extends deeper into the parenchyma, is placed between pyramides renales in the form of columns – columnae renales.

Histology

 * Malpighian body– afferent and efferent arteries – fenestrated endothelium, continuous lamina basalis
 * Bowman's capsule
 * Parietal layer – single-layered flat epithelium.
 * Visceral layer – podocytes placed on capillaries, pedicles and pedicules.
 * Proximal tubule – it has pars contorta and pars recta.
 * Lateral interdigitation – indistinguishable boundaries between cells;
 * single-layer cubic epithelium with microvilli.
 * Distal tubule – it has pars contorta and pars recta
 * Lateral interdigitation – indistinguishable borders between cells;
 * single-layer cubic epithelium with minimal amount of microvilli;
 * juxtaglomerular apparatus and macula densa (cylindrical) cells.

Related articles

 * Kidney
 * Nephron