To fully take advantage of this review site, have available your Histology Supplement Sheet, your Van De Graaff text and the Rust text. These micrographs have limitations in color and clarity and in that they provide only one view of the tissues we are studying. Please review this material "first hand" in the laboratory as often as possible. During the lab exam, you should be able to recognize these tissues, identify the bold faced terms and provide functions as indicated on your Histology Supplement Sheet. (This includes how the organs are effected by the identified hormones.)

KIDNEY

OVARY

URINARY

BLADDER

TESTIS

UTERUS

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KIDNEY

The micrograph at the left illustrates the structural differences between the cortex (A) and medulla (B). In the cortex, "C" points to the tiny renal corpuscles which are more easily seen at the right. The renal corpuscle is composed of a glomerulus (which are capillaries and marked "C" at the right) and the glomerular capsule (Bowman's capsule) marked "D". "D" actually marks the space between the visceral and parietal membranes of the glomerular capsule. Surrounding the renal corpuscles are proximal and distal convoluted tubules (cut across in many directions, thus showing spaces of various sizes and shapes). The medulla is primarily composed of collecting tubules (B).Your histology sheet alerts you to additional items that can be seen on a full kidney section which is not available at this site. Aldosterone and ADH effect the absorption of water and ions by this tissue.

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URINARY BLADDER

Recall that the slides we viewed of this tissue included both relaxed and s t r e t c h e d bladder tissue. Below you will find the relaxed (empty) bladder tissue on the left and the stretched (full) bladder tissue on the right. Two sets of micrographs are available, the first at a lower magnification and the second at a higher magnification.


"A" in all views marks the mucosa of transitional epithelium. "B" marks the smooth muscle layer - where it is visible. The transitional epithelium of the relaxed bladder is thrown into rugae. The rugae, in addition to the stretchable nature of transitional epithelium, accommodate the tremendous size change that occurs as the bladder fills.

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OVARY

"A" marks the primordial or primary follicles, those which a female possesses at birth. "B" is a Graafian follicle with its oocyte. Hormones from the pituitary, FSH and LH, and those produced by the ovary, estrogen and progesterone, effect the proper functioning of this tissue and the uterus. A corpus luteum is not visible.

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TESTIS








The testis is composed of tightly coiled seminiferous tubules (A) seen in cross section. Spermatogenesis occurs here resulting in the production of spermatozoa - sperm (C points to the sperm flagella). Between these tubules are interstitial cells (B), the producers of testosterone. The pituitary hormones, FSH and LH, are essential for proper functioning of this organ.

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UTERUS


While in the lab we viewed the uterus at different stages of the menstrual cycle, here we only see the uterus at about the three week point. At the left is the endometrium with a very deep stratum functionale. (A very little stratum basale might be present at the top of this micrograph. One needs to see more to really recognize it.) The stratum functionale increases in size until menstruation (recall our slide, at one week, showed a very shallow stratum functionale) and then is shed. At the right, the myometrium (smooth muscle) and perimetrium (C) are visible. Again, as with the ovary and testis, hormone secretions (estrogens and progesterone) are essential for the normal functioning of this organ.

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This page was last updated in August, 1997.

All micrographs are the property of Sherri Wick. Students of Biology 2740 and 2840 are welcome to use this page in the study and review of lecture and lab materials in the Human Physiology and Anatomy courses.

If you have comments about this Web site that you would like to share , please use the "Comments Page" available at this site.

 Author: Sherri Wick, Coordinator and Instructor - Human Physiology and Anatomy Laboratories
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Allwine Hall 211E, 554-2343
swick@cwis.unomaha.edu