The cortical substance of the kidney is a complex structure filled with various components that do a great job of cleaning the whole body of harmful substances and excess fluid. Any failure in this well-oiled system can lead to serious problems, complex diseases, and sometimes organ transplants.
What kidneys are made of
Kidneys are bean-shaped organs in the human body. Each one is the size of a fist. They are located just below the chest, on either side of the spine.
Mainly there are three areas of the body. The kidney has a cortical substance located approximately in the middle, an outer shell (capsule) and an inner layer (medulla). The sheath is a transparent membrane lining the outer part of an organ that acts as a defense against infection and injury. The internal medulla is composed of dark tissue and contains eight or more triangular structures known as the kidneys.pyramids. The cortex lies between these two layers. It is usually paler in color with a yellowish tinge and extends down between the pyramids like sunbeams.
What is this
People, as a rule, have two kidneys, the main duty of which is to cleanse the blood of waste products and remove them from the body. The thickness of the renal cortex is about 5-6 mm and is usually regarded as a kind of insulating layer. It's not the outermost cover, but it's actually not in the middle either. You can think of this part as the albedo of an orange (white spongy flesh) - it extends below the peel but above the fruit. Many of the organ's important infrastructures begin and sometimes end here.
The layer consists mainly of nephrons, which are the main working force of the organ, as well as blood vessels twisted together into tiny balls. It also contains a number of renal tubules. The structure of the cortical substance of the kidney is such that the entire internal system of the structure acts as a filter. Many elements that enter there are carefully screened, which allows the body to do its job.
Proper functioning of the layer is essential to overall he alth, which makes this area important. Without it, many processes and systems would be very fragile and potentially unstable. Consequently, problems with the bark or weaknesses in any segment of its surface can lead to a number of potentially dangerousfor life diseases.
What it consists of
In the cortex of the kidney are millions of units known as nephrons. Most of them (85%) are contained there. The remaining 15% are called juxtamedullary, and their glomeruli are located in the peripheral region of the layer, at the junction with the medulla, and the loops of Henle that make up them are already found outside this zone.
Each nephron contains bodies of what is called a glomerulus (glomerulus). This structure is a tiny knot of blood vessels, the walls of which are dotted with small holes. They are too small to allow blood cells to escape, but water, minerals, nutrients and other tiny molecules can pass into the urinary space. This formation is enclosed within a structure known as Bowman's capsule.
After being filtered through the glomerulus, the fluid (primary urine) passes through the renal tubules (consisting of the proximal tubule, the loop of Henle, and the distal convoluted tubule), where essential nutrients, along with a large amount of fluid, are reabsorbed back into the blood. In the same place, certain chemicals (including ammonia) are released into the remaining liquid, this is how secondary urine is formed, it is concentrated in the collecting ducts in order to get through the ducts into the renal pelvis, ureter, and then into the bladder.
Main responsibilities
The main processes of the renal cortex and functions,that it does are as follows:
- Plasma fluid is filtered in the glomeruli.
- Renal columns penetrate between the pyramidal structures of the medulla, thus providing blood supply to the entire organ.
- Active in kidney metabolism by creating ammonia to titrate urine acidity and thus aid in acid-base regulation.
- Helps in the excretion of dilute or concentrated urine, which is very important for maintaining blood volume.
- It is the site of production of erythropoietin, a special hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells.
Filtration process
Begins in the nephrons, each of which is supplied with blood through its own afferent arteriole. It enters the glomerulus, which consists of a bundle of intertwined capillaries. This formation is surrounded by a Bowman's capsule, in which the filtration process takes place under pressure. This forces the serum to pass through the naturally perforated capillaries, while the blood cells, being too large for the holes, remain inside. As soon as the liquid crosses the walls of the vessels, it begins to be called a filtrate.
It is important to understand that with the slightest damage to this system, all the elements that are excreted from the body to the outside remain in the blood, continuing to circulate throughout the body and causing significant damage to the cortical substance of the kidney.
Then the filtrate enters the renal tubules, wherere-filtration process: returning nutrients and water back into the bloodstream, removing toxins, concentrating the remaining fluid (urine) and then removing it from the body.
Functions of the cortical and medulla of the kidney
Both areas are the main parts of the organ, but different in texture.
Cortex:
- is the outermost part of the organ;
- is engaged in the excretion of urine;
- it contains renal corpuscles and tubules;
- produces erythropoietin.
Marrow:
- is the inner layer;
- involved in urine concentration;
- contains loops of Henle and collecting ducts;
- not involved in the production of erythropoietin.
In addition, both parts help in the maintenance of plasma osmolarity, ion content, blood components and filtration.
Common problems
The cortex is the outer part of the kidneys where urine is produced. In a long-term illness (chronic renal failure), if the organs work less than 20% of their capacity, atrophy is detected.
Many diseases can affect the structure and function of all parts of the renal cortex.
The glomeruli are usually very susceptible to infections and autoimmune disorders (glomerulonephritis, SLE), and radioactive substances and certain drugs can harm the tubules. When problems like this arisekind, the cortical substance can be damaged and ceases to fully cope with cleaning or even stops the filtration process. These cases lead to a number of serious medical problems.
Diagnosis
Problems of the renal cortex are usually diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Laboratory tests of blood and urine can also give the doctor some general idea of how well the organs are functioning. If the indicators show serious internal changes, then a biopsy may be needed to help find the disease. At the same time, tissue samples are taken from the cortical layer in order to see the whole picture and make an accurate diagnosis. Treatment usually begins as soon as problems are discovered.
Severe irreversible damage to the renal cortex may require dialysis treatment. For example, in the last stages of kidney failure, when most of the glomeruli irreversibly atrophy and the filtration rate is significantly reduced, this method helps to cleanse the body of toxins and bring them out.
