| Renal capsule | |
|---|---|
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| 1: Parenchyma 2: Cortex 3: Medulla 4: Perirenal fat 5: Capsule 6: Ureter 7: Pelvis of kidney 8: Renal artery and Renal vein 9: Hilus 10: Calyx |
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| Transverse section, showing the relations of the capsule of the kidney. (Labeled as "adipose capsule".) | |
| Latin | capsula adiposa renis, capsula fibrosa renis |
| Gray's | subject #253 1220 |
| Dorlands/Elsevier | c_07/12211754 |
The renal capsule is a tough fibrous layer surrounding the kidney and covered in a thick layer of perinephric adipose tissue. It provides some protection from trauma and damage. The renal capsule relates to the other layers in the following manner (moving from innermost to outermost):
- renal medulla
- renal cortex
- renal capsule
- perinephric fat (or "perirenal fat")
- renal fascia
- paranephric fat (or "pararenal fat")
- peritoneum (anteriorly), and transversalis fascia (posteriorly)
Additional images
 Frontal section through the kidney |
External links
- Anatomy at PSU urogen/dissectkidney2
- Organology at UC Davis Urinary/mammal/cortex1/cortex3 - "Mammal, kidney cortex (LM, Medium)"
- Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_29/29-5.HTM
