Editing Kidney (section)

=== Microanatomy ===

{{citation needed span|date=November 2023|[[Nephron]]s, the urine-producing functional structures of the kidney, span the cortex and medulla. The initial filtering portion of a nephron is the [[renal corpuscle]], which is located in the cortex. This is followed by a [[renal tubule]] that passes from the cortex deep into the medullary pyramids. Part of the renal cortex, a [[medullary ray (anatomy)|medullary ray]] is a collection of renal tubules that drain into a single [[collecting duct]].}}

Renal [[histology]] is the study of the [[microscopic]] structure of the kidney. The adult human kidney contains at least 26 distinct [[Cell type|cell types]],<ref>{{Cite Q|Q34534499}}</ref> including epithelial, endothelial, stromal and smooth muscle cells. Distinct cell types include:
*[[Kidney glomerulus parietal cell]]
*[[Kidney glomerulus podocyte]]
*[[Intraglomerular mesangial cell]]
*[[Extraglomerular mesangial cell]]
*[[Juxtaglomerular cell]]
*[[Kidney proximal tubule brush border cell]]
*[[Loop of Henle thin segment cell]]
*[[Thick ascending limb]] cell
*[[Kidney distal tubule cell]]
*[[Collecting duct system#Cells|Collecting duct principal cell]]
*[[Collecting duct system#Cells|Collecting duct intercalated cell]]
*Interstitial kidney cells