Editing Renal cortex (section)

{{Short description|Outer part of the kidney}}
{{Other uses|Cortex (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox anatomy
| Name = Renal cortex
| Latin = cortex renalis
| Image  = Blausen_0592_KidneyAnatomy_01.png
| Caption  = Kidney anatomy, with renal cortex labeled at top.
| Image2 = Illu kidney.jpg
| Caption2 = {{div col|style=text-align:left; font-size:smaller|colwidth=30em}}{{ubl|1: [[Parenchyma]] | 2: '''Cortex''' | 3: [[Renal medulla|Medulla]] | 4: [[Perirenal fat]] | 5: [[Renal capsule|Capsule]] | 6: [[Ureter]] | 7: [[Renal pelvis|Pelvis of kidney]] | 8: [[Renal artery]] and [[Renal vein]] | 9: [[Hilum of kidney|Hilus]] | 10: [[Calyx (kidney)|Calyx]]}}{{div col end}}
| System = [[Urinary system]]
| Precursor =
}}

The '''renal cortex''' is the outer portion of the [[kidney]] between the [[renal capsule]] and the [[renal medulla]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kriz |first1=W |last2=Bankir |first2=L |date=1988 |title=A standard nomenclature for structures of the kidney |journal=Kidney International |language=en |volume=33 |issue=1 |pages=1–7 |doi=10.1038/ki.1988.1|pmid=3352156 |doi-access=free }}</ref> In the adult, it forms a continuous smooth outer zone with a number of projections ([[renal column|cortical columns]]) that extend down between the [[renal pyramids|pyramids]]. It contains the [[renal corpuscle]]s and the [[renal tubule]]s except for parts of the [[loop of Henle]] which descend into the [[renal medulla]]. It also contains blood vessels and [[cortical collecting duct]]s.

The renal cortex is the part of the [[kidney]] where [[Ultrafiltration (renal)|ultrafiltration]] occurs.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Brenner |first1=Barry M. |last2=Troy |first2=Julia L. |last3=Daugharty |first3=Terrance M. |date=1971-08-01 |title=The Dynamics of Glomerular Ultrafiltration in the Rat |url=http://www.jci.org/articles/view/106667 |journal=Journal of Clinical Investigation |language=en |volume=50 |issue=8 |pages=1776–1780 |doi=10.1172/JCI106667 |issn=0021-9738 |pmc=442078 |pmid=5097578}}</ref> [[Erythropoietin]] is produced in the renal cortex.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Koury |first1=ST |last2=Koury |first2=MJ |last3=Bondurant |first3=MC |last4=Caro |first4=J |last5=Graber |first5=SE |date=1989-08-01 |title=Quantitation of erythropoietin-producing cells in kidneys of mice by in situ hybridization: correlation with hematocrit, renal erythropoietin mRNA, and serum erythropoietin concentration |journal=Blood |volume=74 |issue=2 |pages=645–651 |doi=10.1182/blood.V74.2.645.645 |pmid=2752138 |issn=0006-4971|doi-access=free }}</ref>