Abstract
In the present study we provide a detailed structural analysis of the vascular pole of superficial and midcortical glomeruli of the rat kidney. A description of the juxtaglomerular portions of the afferent and efferent arterioles, the extraglomerular mesangium and the glomerular stalk is included. The specific structural elaboration of the epithelial transition from the podocytes to the parietal epithelium is emphasized, with particular attention to the arrangement of the cytoskeleton and its connections to extracellular matrix elements. The branching patterns of the afferent and efferent arterioles are quite different. Immediately at the glomerular entrance, the afferent arteriole divides into its primary branches. In contrast, the efferent arteriole has a specific outflow segment (consisting of an intraglomerular portion and a portion associated with the extraglomerular mesangium) established by the confluence of capillary tributaries deep inside the glomerular tuft. Just at the transition from inside to outside, this segment includes a prominent narrow portion with conspicuous endothelial cells bulging into the vessel lumen. The extraglomerular mesangium has been found to represent a solid block of cells and matrix filling the space between the macula densa and both arterioles and extending into the entrance funnel. Peripherally located extraglomerular mesangial cells attach to the outer aspect of the parietal basement membrane. As a whole, the extraglomerular mesangium occludes the glomerular tuft.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1998 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Elger, M., Sakai, T., Kriz, W. (1998). Summary. In: The Vascular Pole of the Renal Glomerulus of Rat. Advances in Anatomy Embryology and Cell Biology, vol 139. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-80449-6_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-80449-6_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-63241-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-80449-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive