Renal Corpuscle, PAS stain
The cortex of the kidney is distinguished by characteristic renal corpuscles, each of which consists of an outer envelope (Bowman's capsule) surrounding a fluid-filled space (Bowman's space) within which is suspended a glomerulus.
In this image, Bowman's space may be seen opening into the beginning of a proximal tubule.
The macula densa may be seen at the vascular pole of the corpuscle, displaying its characteristic appearance of several distal tubule nuclei crowded densely together.
The PAS stain accentuates the filtration membrane as well as the basement membrane of renal tubules and Bowman's capsule and also the mesangial matrix.
Although the glomerulus in this image clearly contains many cells with varied appearances, their individual identities as endothelial cells, podocytes, or mesangial cells are difficult to determine reliably on relatively thick-sectioned specimens such as this.
Note that fixation of this specimen is not ideal, such that some epithelial cells have begun to become detached from their underlying basement membrane.
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Last updated: 19 August 2003 / dgk