Normal Anatomy and Histology of the Kidney: Importance for Kidney Tumors

Abstract

The knowledge of the normal anatomy and histology of the kidney is essential for the pathologist evaluating kidney tumors. Perturbations of normal kidney embryologic development can give rise to pediatric tumors, such as Wilms tumor, in addition to other renal anomalies. An understanding of gross and microscopic anatomy of normal kidney is requisite for accurate diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of malignant kidney tumors. Renal tumors can arise from the proximal tubules (e.g., clear cell and papillary carcinomas), distal nephron and collecting ducts (e.g., chromophobe, renal oncocytoma, and collecting duct carcinoma), or other normal microscopic components of the kidney (e.g., renal interstitial cell tumor, juxtaglomerular cell tumor). Guidelines for the gross examination of kidney tumor specimens have been laid out by the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and are summarized in this chapter.