Summary
49 juxtaglomerular apparatuses were examined using 1.9 μ thick Giemsastained serial sections from human renal tissue embedded in plexiglass. In 43 juxtaglomerular apparatus the direct contact areas between the different juxtaglomerular structures and the basal area of the macula densa were calculated. A positive, significant correlation was found between the size of the macula densa and the direct contact area between macula densa and Goormaghtigh's cell field on the one hand, and between the macula densa and the direct contact area between Goormaghtigh's cell field and the afferent arteriole on the other. There was also a significant, positive correlation between the direct contact area of Goormaghtigh's cell field with the macula densa and that of Goormaghtigh's cell field with the afferent arteriole. On the efferent side none of these correlations were significant. Thus a “flow of information” from the macula densa via the Goormaghtigh cells to the afferent arteriole is morphologically possible. The direct contact areas between macula densa and the afferent or the efferent arterioles were not correlated with any of the other parameters. Epithelioid cells were present in the interlobular arteries, prior to and within the juxtaglomerular apparatus in the afferent arterioles, as well as within and beyond the juxtaglomerular apparatus in the efferent arterioles.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barajas, L.: The ultrastructure of the juxtaglomerular apparatus as disclosed by three-dimensional reconstructions from serial sections. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 33, 116 (1970)
Barajas, L.: Renin secretion: An anatomical basis for tubular control. Science 172, 485 (1971)
Barajas, L., Latta, H.: A three-dimensional study of the juxtaglomerular apparatus in the rat; light and electron microscopic observations. Lab. Invest. 12, 257 (1963)
Barajas, L., Latta, H.: Structure of the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Circulat. Res. 20/21, Suppl. II, 15 (1967)
Biava, C. G., West, M.: Fine structure of normal human juxtaglomerular cells. I. General structure and intercellular relationships. Amer. J. Path. 49, 679 (1966)
Bing, J.: Morphological aspects of the renin-angiotensin-system. Dan. med. Bull. 1964, 24 (Feb. 1964)
Bohle, A.: Niere und innere Sekretion unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Morphologie des juxtaglomerulären Apparates. Verh. dtsch. Ges. inn. Med. 74, 41 (1968)
Bohle, A., Meyer, D., Helmchen, U.: Neue Gesichtspunkte zur Morphologie des Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosteron-Systems. Med. Welt 21, 1631 (1970)
Bohle, A., Sitte, H.: Der juxtaglomeruläre Apparat der Niere. In: Aktuelle Probleme der Nephrologie. (IV. Symp. d. Ges. f. Nephrologie 1966, p. 3.) Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1966
Bucher, O., Riedel, B.: L'appareil juxtaglomérulaire du rein. Bull. Ass. Anat. 130, 43 (1966)
Faarup, P.: On the morphology of the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Acta anat. (Basel) 60, 20 (1965)
Gomba, Sz., Soltész, M. B., Szabo, J., Endes, P.: An electronhistochemioal study on the distribution of sodium ions in the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Virchows Arch. Abt. B 11, 284 (1972)
Goormaghtigh, N.: Les segments neuro-myo-artériels juxtaglomérulaires du rein. Arch. Biol. (Paris) 43, 575 (1932)
Goormaghtigh, N.: L'appareil neuro-myo-artériel juxtaglomerulaire du rein; ses reactions en pathologie et ses rapports avec le tube urinifère. C. R. Soc. Biol. (Paris) 124, 293 (1937)
Goormaghtigh, N.: Existence of an endocrine gland in the media of renal arterioles. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N.Y.) 42, 688 (1939)
Hale, A. J.: The interference microscope in biological research. Edinburgh-London: E. & S. Livingstone 1958
Hatt, P. Y.: L'appareil juxtaglomérulaire. Presse méd. 74, 2269 (1966)
Helber, A., Meyer, D., Schürholz, J., Bohle, A.: Zur Struktur und Funktion des juxtaglomerulären Apparates. Dtsch. med. Wschr. 95, 2280 (1970)
Meyer, D.: Normale und pathologische Morphologie des juxtaglomerulären Apparates. In: Fortschritte der Nephrologie. VII. Symp. d. Ges. f. Nephrologie, Tübingen, 1970. Eds. A. Bohle and G. E. Schubert. Stuttgart: F. K. Schattauer 1971
Meyer, D.: Morphometrische Untersuchungen am juxtaglomerulären Apparat menschlicher Nieren. Veröffentl. aus der Morphologischen Pathologie, Heft 90. Stuttgart: Fischer 1972
Meyer, D., Schürholz, J., Bohle, A.: Morphologie des juxtaglomerulären Apparates der Nieren bei normalem, erhöhtem und erniedrigtem Blutdruck. In: Arterielle Hypertonie, Pathogenese — Klinik — Therapie. Eds. R. Heintz and H. Losse (p. 45–53). Stuttgart: Thieme 1969
Oberling, Ch., Hatt, P. Y.: Ultrastructure de l'appareil juxtaglomérulaire du rat. C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris) 250, 929 (1960)
Peter, K.: Über die Nierenkanälchen des Menschen und einiger Säugetiere. Anat. Anz. 30, Erg.-H. 114 (1907)
Schnermann, J., Nagel, W., Thurau, K.: Die frühdistale Natriumkonzentration in Rattennieren nach renaler Ischämie und hämorrhagischer Hypotension. Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol. 287, 296 (1966)
Schnermann, J., Wright, F. S., Davis, J. M., v. Stackelberg, W., Grill, G.: Regulation of superficial nephron filtration rate by tubulo-glomerular feedback. Pflügers Arch. 318, 147 (1970)
Skinner, S. L., McCubbin, J. W., Page, J. H.: Control of renin secretion. Circulat. Res. 15, 64 (1964)
Tobian, L.: Interrelationship of electrolytes, juxtaglomerular cells and hypertension. Physiol. Rev. 40, 280 (1960)
Tobian, L.: Renin release and its role in renal function and the control of salt balance and arterial pressure. Fed. Proc. 26, 48 (1967)
Thoenes, W.: Zur Feinstruktur der Macula densa im Nephron der Maus. Z. Zellforsch. 55, 486 (1961)
Thurau, K.: Intrarenal regulation of sodium balance. Bull. Swiss Acad. med. Sci. 23, 363 (1967)
Thurau, K.: The juxtaglomerular apparatus: its role in the function of the single nephron unit. Int. Congress Series No. 268, p. 84–93, Modern diuretic therapy in the treatment of cardiovascular and renal disease. Symp. Royal College of Physicions of London, May 8–9, 1972. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica
Thurau, K., Dahlheim, H., Grüner, A., Mason, J., Granger, P.: Activation of renin in the single juxtaglomerular apparatus by sodium chloride in the tubular fluid at the macula densa. Circulat. Res. 30/31, Suppl. II 182, 1972
Thurau, K., Schnermann, J.: Die Natriumkonzentration an den Macula densa-Zellen als regulierender Faktor für das Glomerulumfiltrat. Klin. Wschr. 43, 410 (1965)
Thurau, K., Schnermann, J., Nagel, W., Horster, M., Wahl, M.: Composition of tubular fluid in the macula densa segment as a factor regulating the function of the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Circulat. Res. 20/21, Suppl. 2, 79 (1967)
Vander, A. J.: Control of renin release. Physiol. Rev. (Wash.) 47, 359 (1967)
Vander, A. J., Miller, R.: Control of renin secretion in the anesthetized dog. Amer. J. Physiol. 207, 537 (1964)
Zimmermann, K. W.: Über den Bau des Glomerulus der Säugerniere. Z. mikr.-anat. Forsch. 32, 176 (1933)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Dr.h.c. Dr.h.c. E. Letterer on his 80th birthday.
Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
We are very grateful to Messrs. Zeiss, Oberkochen, Germany, for determining the thickness of the Giemsa-stained serial sections, to Mrs. Schäfer for technical assistance, and to the Institute of Medical Biometrics, University of Tübingen (Head Prof. Dr. Geppert) for doing the statistical analyses.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Christensen, J.A., Meyer, D.S. & Bohle, A. The structure of the human juxtaglomerular apparatus. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 367, 83–92 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430947
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430947