Microvilli, Brush Border-Kidney

Brush borders and the resulting enlargement of the luminal cell membranes are characteristic of resorptive epithelium. Brush borders are highly specialize d structures. They are dense with microvilli, which are covered by a glycocalyx. This cross-section shows the proximal tubules of a nephron. A high brush border, stained light blue with azan, covers the single-layered, medium height epithelium of the proximal tubules. Approximately 6000–7000 microvilli cover each of the epithelial cells from the proximal tubule. The microvilli can be up to 0.2 μm long. The left half of the figure shows a cut through the center part of the distal tubules 2 of the kidney.

1 Brush border

2 Distal tubule

3 Capillaries

Stain: azan; magnification: × 800

References

Kuehnel, W.(2003). Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy. 4^th edition . Institute of Anatomy Universitätzu Luebeck Luebeck, Germany . Thieme Stuttgar t · New York .