肾皮质（Renal cortex）是肾的外层部分，介于肾鞘膜和肾髓质的中间部分。成人的肾皮质形成连续的光华的外层区域，其间有一些突起肾柱（renal column），延伸至肾锥体（renal pyramid）。它包括肾小球（renal corpuscles）和肾小管（renal tubules）但是不包括深入肾髓质（renal medulla）的亨利氏环(loop of Henle)部分。它同时也包括血管部分和集尿管。

The renal cortex is the outer portion of the kidney between the renal capsule and the renal medulla. In the adult, it forms a continuous smooth outer zone with a number of projections (cortical columns) that extend down between the pyramids. It contains the renal corpuscles and the renal tubules except for parts of the loop of Henle which descend into the renal medulla. It also contains blood vessels and cortical collecting ducts.