Abstract

Background:
The morphological organization of rabbit kidneys, particularly their internal renal architecture, has been inconsistently described in the literature.

Aim:
This study aimed to investigate the gross anatomical and morphometric characteristics of the kidneys in New Zealand White rabbits.

Methods:
A postmortem study was conducted on 10 clinically healthy, sexually mature, eight-month-old New Zealand White rabbits (five males and five females). The kidneys were examined in situ and after longitudinal sectioning following a standardized dissection protocol. Organ dimensions, weight, and volume were recorded, and the kidneys’ internal anatomical organization was evaluated.

Results:
Both kidneys were retroperitoneally located and exhibited a smooth bean-shaped external appearance. Gross examination revealed five to eight renal pyramids converging toward a single renal papilla in all animals. No significant sex-related differences were observed in kidney dimensions or weight (P > 0.05), whereas females had significantly greater renal volume than males (P < 0.05). The internal anatomical arrangement observed in this study was consistent with a multi-pyramidal but unipapillary organization of the rabbit kidney.

Conclusion:
The kidneys of New Zealand White rabbits exhibited a smooth external surface and an internal organization characterized by multiple renal pyramids converging toward a single renal papilla. These findings are based on gross anatomical observations and provide additional morphological information that may be useful for comparative anatomical and experimental research. Further histological and imaging studies are required to confirm the anatomical organization observed in this study.

Key words: Anatomy; Kidney; Papilla renalis; Rabbit.