Loop of Henle

Other Known Aliases – ansa nephroni

Definition – portion of the nephron that goes from the proximal convoluted tubule to the distal convoluted tubule. There are four portions of this structure:

• Thin descending segment
• Thin ascending segment
• Ascending limb
• Cortical thick ascending limp

Clinical Significance – the loop of Henle creates an area of high urea concentration with secretion and reabsorption of water and electrolytes. This is also the portion of the nephron where the aptly named “loop diuretics” to manage blood pressure by means of excess fluid excretion.

History – Named after Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle (1809-1885), who was a German physician, pathologist, and anatomist and received his medical doctorate from the University of Bonn in 1832. He spent his early career as a prosector for Johannes Müller in Berlin where he published furiously on numerous facets of human and animal anatomy and physiology. He then went on to become the chair of anatomy at the University of Zurich, where he became one of the early adopters and advocates for the study of pathophysiology as a single distinct discipline. He also set the early argument for the germ theory in an essay entitled “On Miasma and Contagia”. His life’s work culminated in the publishing of the Handbook of Systematic Human Anatomy in 1855, which was the most complete and comprehensive work at that time.

References

1. Firkin BG and Whitwirth JA.  Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. 2nd ed.  New York, NY; Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996.
2. Bartolucci S, Forbis P.  Stedman’s Medical Eponyms.  2nd ed.  Baltimore, MD; LWW.  2005.
3. Yee AJ, Pfiffner P. (2012).  Medical Eponyms (Version 1.4.2) [Mobile Application Software].  Retrieved http://itunes.apple.com.
4. Whonamedit – dictionary of medical eponyms. http://www.whonamedit.com
5. Up To Date. www.uptodate.com

Bowman’s Capsule

Other Known Aliases – Capsula glomeruli, glomerular capsule

Definition – Double walled, cup-like capsule surrounding the glomerulus

Clinical Significance –It is made up of two poles: a vascular pole (afferent and efferent arterioles) and a urinary pole (proximal convoluted tubule). Within the capsule, there is a parietal layer and visceral layer with a space in between.  This is where ultrafiltration takes place and urine is filtered from the blood.

History – Named after Sir William Bowman (1816-1892), who was an English ophthalmologist, histologist, and anatomist, and first identified this structure in 1841.  He published his findings at the age of 25 and was awarded The Royal Medal by the Royal Society of  London.

He was well known for his extensive use microscopes in visualizing structures of the human body and publishing two works with his mentor, Robert Bentley Todd, entitled “Physiological Anatomy and Physiology of Man” and “Cyclopaedia of Anatomy and Physiology”.

References

1. Firkin BG and Whitwirth JA.  Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. 2nd ed.  New York, NY; Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996.
2. Bartolucci S, Forbis P.  Stedman’s Medical Eponyms.  2nd ed.  Baltimore, MD; LWW.  2005.
3. Yee AJ, Pfiffner P. (2012).  Medical Eponyms (Version 1.4.2) [Mobile Application Software].  Retrieved http://itunes.apple.com.
4. Whonamedit – dictionary of medical eponyms. http://www.whonamedit.com
5. Bowman W.  On the Structure and Use of the Malpighian Bodies of the Kidney.  Phil Trans R Soc Lond.  1842;132:57-80
6. Eknoyan G. Sir William Bowman: his contributions to physiology and nephrology. Kidney international. 1996; 50(6):2120-8. [pubmed]
7. Galst JM. Sir William Bowman (1816-1892). Archives of ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960). 2007; 125(4):459. [pubmed]
8. Thomas KB.  The manuscripts of Sir William Bowman.  Medical History. 1966;10(3):245-256

Gerota’s Fascia

Other Known Aliases – Renal fascia

Definition – Connective tissue layers covering the kidneys and adrenal glands

Clinical Significance – This connective tissue encapsulates these organs and must be excised to perform nephrectomies and adrenalectomies.  It has 4 attachments:

• Anterior attachment – Connects the anterior layer of the renal fascia of the opposite kidney.
• Posterior attachment – Connects the psoas fascia and the body of the vertebrae.
• Superior attachment – The anterior and posterior layers fuse at the upper pole of the kidney and then split to enclose the adrenal gland. At the upper part of the adrenal gland they again fuse to form the suspensory ligament of the adrenal gland and fuse with the diaphragmatic fascia.
• Inferior attachment – The posterior layer descends downwards and fuses with the iliac fascia. The anterior layer blends with the connective tissue of the iliac fossa.

History – Named after Dimitrie D. Gerota (1867-1939), who was a Romanian physician and professor of surgical anatomy and experimental surgery at the University of Bucharest.  He was also the first radiologist in Romania and developed a method for injecting lymphatic vessels known as “The Gerota Method”

References

1. Firkin BG and Whitwirth JA.  Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. 2nd ed.  New York, NY; Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996.
2. Bartolucci S, Forbis P.  Stedman’s Medical Eponyms.  2nd ed.  Baltimore, MD; LWW.  2005.
3. Yee AJ, Pfiffner P. (2012).  Medical Eponyms (Version 1.4.2) [Mobile Application Software].  Retrieved http://itunes.apple.com.
4. Whonamedit – dictionary of medical eponyms. http://www.whonamedit.com
5. Chirculescu ARM, Panduru A, Chirculescu M, Morris JF. Gerota and Brâncuşi: Romanian anatomy and art face to face. Journal of Anatomy. 2010;216(2):275-278.