stellate vein of kidney

The stellate vein of the kidney is a vein that drains blood from the most superficial zones of the renal cortex, with groups of stellate veins arranged in a star-like pattern that converge centrally to drain into an interlobular vein.

It is located in the most superficial layer of the renal cortex, just beneath the kidney capsule, where groups of these small veins form star-shaped patterns visible on the kidney surface.

Its function is to collect venous blood from the superficial renal cortex and drain it into the interlobular veins, which then carry blood toward the arcuate and interlobar veins as part of the intrarenal venous drainage system.

Renal cortical disease, nephrotic syndrome, and conditions causing increased intraglomerular pressure may be associated with changes in the superficial cortical venous drainage involving stellate veins.

These very small vessels are generally beyond the resolution of standard clinical imaging; they may be visualized in ex vivo or histological studies, or in very high-resolution experimental imaging of the kidney.