Cortical radial arteries, formerly known as interlobular arteries,
are
renal
The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; bloo ...
blood vessels given off at right angles from the side of the
arcuate arteries
The arcuate arteries of the kidney, also known as arciform arteries, are vessels of the renal circulation. They are located at the border of the renal cortex and renal medulla.
They are named after the fact that they are shaped in arcs due to the ...
looking toward the
cortical substance. The interlobular arteries pass directly outward between the
medullary rays to reach the fibrous tunic, where they end in the capillary network of this part.
These vessels do not
anastomose
An anastomosis (, plural anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be normal ...
with each other, but form
end-arteries.
In their outward course, they give off lateral branches, which are the
afferent arterioles
The afferent arterioles are a group of blood vessels that supply the nephrons in many excretory systems. They play an important role in the regulation of blood pressure as a part of the tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism.
The afferent arteriole ...
that supply the
renal corpuscles
A renal corpuscle (also called malpighian body) is the blood-filtering component of the nephron of the kidney. It consists of a glomerulus - a tuft of capillaries composed of endothelial cells, and a glomerular capsule known as Bowman's capsul ...
. The afferent arterioles, then, enter
Bowman's capsule and end in the
glomerulus
''Glomerulus'' () is a common term used in anatomy to describe globular structures of entwined vessels, fibers, or neurons. ''Glomerulus'' is the diminutive of the Latin ''glomus'', meaning "ball of yarn".
''Glomerulus'' may refer to:
* the filter ...
.
From each glomerulus, the corresponding
efferent arteriole
The efferent arterioles are blood vessels that are part of the urinary tract of organisms. Efferent (from Latin ex + ferre) means "outgoing", in this case meaning carrying blood out away from the glomerulus. The efferent arterioles form a converg ...
arises and then exits the capsule near the point where the afferent arteriole enters.
Distally
Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...
, efferent arterioles branch out to form dense
plexuses (i.e.,
capillary beds) around their adjacent
renal tubules
The nephron is the minute or microscopic structural and functional unit of the kidney. It is composed of a renal corpuscle and a renal tubule. The renal corpuscle consists of a tuft of capillaries called a glomerulus and a cup-shaped structure ...
. For
cortical nephron
The nephron is the minute or microscopic structural and functional unit of the kidney. It is composed of a renal corpuscle and a renal tubule. The renal corpuscle consists of a tuft of capillaries called a glomerulus and a cup-shaped structure ...
s, a single network of capillaries, known as the
peritubular capillaries
In the renal system, peritubular capillaries are tiny blood vessels, supplied by the efferent arteriole, that travel alongside nephrons allowing reabsorption and secretion between blood and the inner lumen of the nephron. Peritubular capillaries s ...
, surrounds the entire renal tubule, whereas for
juxtamedullary nephron
The nephron is the minute or microscopic structural and functional unit of the kidney. It is composed of a renal corpuscle and a Nephron#Renal tubule, renal tubule. The renal corpuscle consists of a tuft of capillary, capillaries called a glomeru ...
s, the peritubular capillaries surround only the
proximal
Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...
and
distal convoluted tubules
The distal convoluted tubule (DCT) is a portion of kidney nephron between the loop of Henle and the collecting tubule.
Physiology
It is partly responsible for the regulation of potassium, sodium, calcium, and pH.
On its apical surface (lumen ...
, while another network branching from the efferent arteriole, known as the
straight arterioles of kidney, surrounds the
nephron loop (of
Henle Henle can refer to:
* Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle, a German physician, pathologist and anatomist (1809–1885)
** Loop of Henle in the kidney, named after Henle
*Fritz Henle, a photographer, known as "Mr. Rollei" for his use of the 2.25" square for ...
).
Name
* Lote refers to them as "''cortical radial arteries (formerly called inter-lobular arteries)''"
* Mescher et al refer to them as "''interlobular arteries (or cortical radial arteries)''"
References
*
External links
* - "Urinary System: kidney, H&E, interlobular artery and vein"
{{Authority control
Kidney anatomy