Organ
Renal calyces
Branching urine-collecting cups in the renal sinus
High-yield
Urine follows the sequence papilla → minor calyx → major calyx → pelvis. The number and branching pattern of calyces vary.
Overview
Minor calyces surround papillary tips and collect urine from papillary duct openings. They join into larger channels that lead to the renal pelvis. Their urothelial lining and smooth-muscle wall are continuous with the rest of the upper collecting tract.
Reference facts
- Location
- Within the fat-containing renal sinus among branches of the renal vessels.
- Parts
- Multiple minor cups drain single or compound papillae and unite into a variable major-calyceal pattern, commonly two or three larger groups.
- Blood supply
- Small renal arterial branches supply the collecting-system wall.
- Innervation
- Renal plexus fibers accompany the collecting tract; distension can activate visceral pain pathways.
- Function
- Receives papillary urine and helps coordinate its movement toward the pelvis and ureter.
Clinical correlation
A staghorn stone follows the shape of the pelvis and calyces. Although classically associated with infection-related struvite, this shape can also occur with metabolic stones. Reflux-related scarring may distort and blunt calyceal contours.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the renal calyces located?
Within the fat-containing renal sinus among branches of the renal vessels.
What do the renal calyces do?
Receives papillary urine and helps coordinate its movement toward the pelvis and ureter.
What are the parts of the renal calyces?
Multiple minor cups drain single or compound papillae and unite into a variable major-calyceal pattern, commonly two or three larger groups.
What is the blood supply of the renal calyces?
The renal calyces are supplied by the small renal arterial branches supply the collecting-system wall.