Injection studies of cortical and medullary organization in the avian kidney

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Abstract
Cortical lobules of the avian kidney are branched structures in which the efferent venous system forms an intralobular axis. The latter receives portal blood through an intertubular capillary plexus. Capillary distribution is regionalized thus delimiting the boundaries of individual cortical lobules.The size of cortical lobules (combined length of individual branches) varies intraspecifically from less than 1 mm to more than 18 mm. The largest units are peripherally located in the dorsal and lateral aspects of the kidney, while smaller lobules are deeper within the renal mass. A system of naming the branches of the efferent venous drainage is described. Cortical lobules take origin at varied levels along this venous network.A typical cortical lobule provides collecting ducts and loops of Henle to several medullary lobules. The latter contact the cortical unit at intervals along its length, and each may be associated with more than one cortical lobule. Although boundaries are indefinite, a renal lobe can be regarded as a group of medullary lobules usually draining into a secondary ureteral branch plus their associated cortex.

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