1 84 NORMAL HISTOLOGY. 



cells, which completely line the capsule. At one 

 side of the glomerulus, usually opposite to the at- 

 tachment of the tubule, a small artery the vas 

 afferens pierces the capsule and immediately di- 

 vides into a number of capillary loops, which wind 

 about one another, forming a complicated vascular 

 tuft ; the blood from this tuft is collected into a 

 vein vas efferens which is, as a rule, somewhat 

 smaller than the afferent artery, and leaves the 

 glomerulus near the point where the latter enters. 

 The capillary tuft within the glomerulus is cov- 

 ered also with a layer of flat cells like those lining 

 the capsule. 



Let us now review the position of the different 

 parts of the tubules in the kidney. In the papillae 

 are the termini of the straight tubules ; in the 

 medulla lie the straight tubules and portions of 

 Henle's loops ; in the medullary rays are the upper 

 portions of the straight tubules, and of both arms 

 of Henle's loops; in the labyrinth, .including the 

 cortical pyramids, are the convoluted tubules, inter- 

 calated tubes, and the glomeruli. 



The distribution of the blood in the kidney yet 

 remains to be considered. The larger branches of 

 the renal arteries, accompanied by the veins, enter 

 the organ at the bases of the medullary pyramids, 

 and divide into large arching trunks which pass, in 

 various directions, with their convexity toward the 

 cortex, along the irregular boundary line between 



