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The kidney medulla includes the pyramids and the columns between the pyramids.
The pyramids consist mainly of closely-packed long loops of Henle (of the juxtaglomerular nephrons), the capillaries of the vasa recta, collecting ducts and papillary ducts.
The upper image is a cross section through part of a pyramid. The most prominent structures in this image are collecting ducts. The lumen of a collecting duct is labeled lu. The wall of a collecting duct is composed of a simple cuboidal epithelium.
The lower image shows a longitudinal section through a collecting duct Arrows indicate the basement membrane of the collecting duct.
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