Morphometric observations on the kidney of the camel, Camelus dromedarius

Morphometric analysis of the kidney of the camel was carried out on gross slices and histological sections using standard morphometric methods. The renal cortex occupied about 50% by volume of the kidney, and the ratio of the thickness of the medulla to that of the cortex was about 4:1. The relative thickness of the medulla was about 7.89. This parameter is an indicator of the lengths of the loops of Henle and vasa recta, and, according to the countercurrent theory, is consequently an indicator of the ability of the kidney to concentrate urine. In each kidney the volume and surface area of the cortical tubules and the number of glomeruli were determined and compared with these parameters in some other mammals. In addition the architectures of the renal pelvis and medulla and their significance in relation to the excretion of hypertonic urine were discussed. It was concluded that the kidney of the camel possesses the anatomical requisites for the production of hypertonic urine.