Renal papilla

Renal papilla
1. Renal pyramid 2. Efferent artery 3. Renal artery 4. Renal vein 5. Renal hilum 6. Renal pelvis 7. Ureter 8. Minor calyx 9. Renal capsule 10. Inferior renal capsule 11. Superior renal capsule 12. Afferent vein 13. Nephron 14. Minor calyx 15. Major calyx 16. Renal papilla 17. Renal column
Frontal section through the kidney.

In the kidney, the renal papilla is the location where the medullary pyramids empty urine into the minor calyx. Histologically it is marked by medullary collecting ducts converging to form a duct of Bellini to channel the fluid. Transitional epithelium begins to be seen.

Role in disease

Some chemicals toxic to the kidney, called nephrotoxins, exert their damage at the renal papillae. Damage to the renal papillae may result in death to cells in this region of the kidney, called renal papillary necrosis. The most common toxic causes of renal papillary necrosis are NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid, and phenylbutazone, in combination with dehydration.

See also

• Renal pyramids
• Renal medulla
• Collecting duct system

Additional Images

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  Renal papilla

External links

• SUNY Labs 40:06-0107 - "Posterior Abdominal Wall: Internal Structure of a Kidney"
• Histology at BU 15901loa - "Urinary System: neonatal kidney"
• posteriorabdomen at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (renalpelvis)

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

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