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Anatomical features of the renal papilla and pelvis and ultrastructures of the epithelium covering these areas in four species of mammals were studied by means of light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. In terms of the morphology of mammalian kidney types distinguished by Sperber(1944), Pfeiffer(1968) and Schmidt-Nielsen(1977), the kidneys of animal species used in this experiment were; 1) the mouse kidney with the fornix between a long conical papilla and the funnel-shaped pelvis, 2) the guinea pig kidney with the peripelvic column and pelvic pouch between a short conical papilla and the funnel-shaped pelvis, 3) the dog kidney with the peripelvic column and pelvic pouch between the crest-shaped papilla and the funnel-shaped pelvis, and 4) the cattle kidney which is divided into multiple renculi with minor and major calyces and pelvis. The renal papilla was lined with the simple or pseudostratified columnar epithelium which covered the inner zone of the renal medulla. The epithelial cells with numerous short microvilli on the surface contained a few organelles. In the mouse, the fornix was lined with one to two cell-layered cuboidal epithelium which covered the outer zone of the renal medulla and a part of the cortex. The epithelial cells of the fornix with numerous short microvilli or microridges on the surface had well-developed organelles. In the guinea pig, the peripelvic column was lined with the simple cuboidal or low columnar epithelium which covered the outer zone of the renal medulla. The epithelial cells with numerous short microvilli on the surface contained well-developed organelles. The pelvic pouch was lined with the pseudostratified columnar epithelium which was composed of four kinds of cells; the secretory cell with small electron-dense granules (310 nm), the secretory cell with large granules (720 nm) showing various electron densities, the mitochondria-rich cell with a single cilium, and the basal cell. Pelves of the mouse and guinea pig, peripelvic column, pelvic pouch and pelvis of the dog, and minor and major calyces and pelvis of the cattle were lined with the transitional epithelium. The fusiform vesicles in the superficial cells of the epithelium were highly developed in the dog, relatively well developed in the mouse and guinea pig, and poorly developed in the cattle. From the above findings, it is suggested that the transport of solutes and water of the urine in the pelvic cavity can take place through the epithelia covering the renal papilla and fornix of the mouse, papilla and peripelvic column of the guinea pig, and papillae of the dog and the cattle. And specialized cell types in the epithelium of the guinea pig pelvic pouch, two kinds of secretory cells and mitochondria-rich cell with a single cilium, could have peculiar functions in the renal pelvis, respectively.
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