Arterial system The table below shows the path that blood takes when it travels through the glomerulus, traveling "down" the arteries and "up" the veins. However, this model is greatly simplified for clarity and symmetry. Some of the other paths and complications are described at the bottom of the table. The interlobar artery and vein (not to be confused with interlobular) are between two renal lobes, also known as the renal column (cortex region between two pyramids). • Note 1: The
renal artery also provides a branch to the
inferior suprarenal artery to supply the
adrenal gland. • Note 2: Also called the cortical radiate arteries. The interlobular artery also supplies to the
stellate veins. • Note 3: The efferent arterioles do not directly drain into the interlobular vein, but rather they go to the
peritubular capillaries first. The efferent arterioles of the
juxtamedullary nephron drain into the
vasa recta.
Segmental arteries The
segmental arteries are branches of the renal arteries; there are five named segmental arteries: • superior • inferior • anterior • anterior superior • anterior inferior • posterior
Venous system The venous drainage of the kidney large mirrors its arterial supply, except that there are no segmental veins. The
stellate veins arise from the capillaries, then drain successively through
interlobular veins and
interlobar veins until these converge from across the kidney to form the
renal vein for that kidney. ==See also==