What is the function of the loop of Henle in the kidney?
The primary function of the loops of Henle and the thick ascending limb of the distal tubule is the concentration of urine utilizing a principle called ‘countercurrent multiplication. ‘ The medulla possesses a gradient of urea and salt with increasing concentrations of these solutes closer to the papillae.
What are the three major functions of the loop of Henle?
Other functions of the loop of Henle include:
- Homeostatic mechanisms to regulate the extracellular fluid volume.
- Regulating potassium, calcium and magnesium excretion at the lowest energy costs.
- Homeostasis of the acid-base balance via bicarbonate and ammonia excretion.
- Regulating the composition of urinary protein.
How does the loop of Henle produce urine?
Water present in the filtrate in the papillary duct flows through aquaporin channels out of the duct, moving passively down its concentration gradient. This process reabsorbs water and creates a concentrated urine for excretion.
Where is the loop of Henle found?
medulla
The Loop of Henle (LoH) is a long, straight, tubular segment connecting the proximal tubule to the distal convoluted tubule and lies parallel to the collecting ducts. The LoH descends from the cortex or medulla (depending on the size/length of the nephron) into the papilla of the kidney.
What is the main function of the loop of Henle quizlet?
The primary function of the loop of Henle is: to generate a concentration gradient between the inner medulla and outer cortex. Osmoregulation is: the control of osmotic pressure through regulation of water and solute levels.
What is the importance of having a long loop of Henle and short loop of Henle in a nephron?
The counter-current system of the Loop of Henle is involved in the recovery of the water and NaCl from urine. The longer the Loop of Henle, the higher the osmolarity of the fluid as it contains more water. The short loops of the cortical nephrons passively reabsorb urea in the thick ascending limbs.
Does loop of Henle have brush border?
The thick descending limbs of the loop of Henle look similar to the proximal tubule, with apical brush borders. The thick ascending limbs are composed of cuboidal cells, but unlike the proximal convoluted tubule, they do not have apical brush borders.
How does the loop of Henle conserve water?
The kidney conserves water by first diluting urine as it moves through the loop of Henle and then concentrating urine in the distal tubules and collecting ducts (the latter under the influence of antidiuretic hormone or ADH).
What is the role of kidney in excretory system?
Most people know that a major function of the kidneys is to remove waste products and excess fluid from the body. These waste products and excess fluid are removed through the urine. The production of urine involves highly complex steps of excretion and re-absorption.
What is responsible for urine storage?
The urinary bladder is a hollow, muscular, and elastic organ that stores urine. Urine exits the bladder and the body through the urethra. The kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra make up the urinary tract, the pathway through which urine flows and is eliminated from the body.
What are agents that increase urine excretion called?
Diuretics are used to induce urine output in acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and to treat edema and hypertension. They increase urine excretion by inhibiting sodium and chloride reabsorption at different sites in the nephron.
What is the loop of Henle, and where is it located?
In the kidney, the loop of Henle (English: / ˈhɛnli /) (or Henle’s loop, Henle loop, nephron loop or its Latin counterpart ansa nephroni) is the portion of a nephron that leads from the proximal convoluted tubule to the distal convoluted tubule.
How did the loop of Henle get its name?
Named after its discoverer, the German anatomist Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle, the loop of Henle’s main function is to create a concentration gradient in the medulla of the kidney. Oct 8 2019
What is the loop of Henle also called?
In the kidney, the loop of Henle (English: /ˈhɛnli/) (or Henle’s loop, Henle loop, nephron loop or its Latin counterpart ansa nephroni) is the portion of a nephron that leads from the proximal convoluted tubule to the distal convoluted tubule. Oct 8 2019
How does the loop of Henle help to conserve water?
The loop of Henle is part of a nephron, a tiny tube inside the kidneys that filters solutes. The loop of Henle allows the kidneys to maintain the correct balance of water in the body.