Which term describes the central portion of the kidney that houses the collecting system?

Which term describes the central portion of the kidney that houses the collecting system?

• A. Renal cortex
• B. Renal sinus
• C. Renal medulla
• D. Renal hilum

Answer: (B)

The renal sinus. The collecting system of the kidney—minor calyces, major calyces, and the renal pelvis—resides in the renal sinus, a central cavity within the kidney that also contains fat and the vessels. The cortex is the outer layer where filtration begins, and the medulla lies deeper with the renal pyramids and their ducts, but these areas do not form the collecting system as a whole. The renal hilum, meanwhile, is the entry/exit site on the kidney for vessels and the ureter, not the space that houses the collecting system.

The renal sinus.

The collecting system of the kidney—minor calyces, major calyces, and the renal pelvis—resides in the renal sinus, a central cavity within the kidney that also contains fat and the vessels. The cortex is the outer layer where filtration begins, and the medulla lies deeper with the renal pyramids and their ducts, but these areas do not form the collecting system as a whole. The renal hilum, meanwhile, is the entry/exit site on the kidney for vessels and the ureter, not the space that houses the collecting system.