The Loop of Henle and Production of Concentrated Urine

Author(s):  
Peter Kam ◽  
Ian Power ◽  
Michael J. Cousins ◽  
Philip J. Siddal
Keyword(s):  
1986 ◽  
Vol 250 (4) ◽  
pp. F590-F595 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. L. Wong ◽  
S. J. Whiting ◽  
C. L. Mizgala ◽  
G. A. Quamme

A micropuncture study of the rabbit was performed to evaluate the function of the superficial nephron. The mean glomerular filtration rate of the left micropunctured kidney was 4.0 +/- 0.8 ml/min. The concentration profile of electrolytes within the proximal tubule was similar to that of species previously investigated except for potassium. The mean tubular fluid (TF)-ultrafilterable (UF) concentration ratios were as follows: sodium, 1.01 +/- 0.03; chloride, 1.14 +/- 0.04; calcium, 1.12 +/- 0.04; magnesium, 1.47 +/- 0.08; and phosphate, 0.94 +/- 0.09, with a mean TF-plasma (P) inulin concentration ratio of 1.78 +/- 0.14 (n = 32). The TF/UF potassium value significantly increased in association with TF/P inulin to a mean value of 1.26 +/- 0.06. Accordingly, 29% of the filtered potassium was reabsorbed in the superficial proximal tubule compared with 43% of the filtered sodium. The loop of Henle reabsorbed 55-60% of the filtered sodium, chloride, and calcium, whereas considerably less magnesium (33%) was reabsorbed. Segments beyond the distal tubule collection site reabsorbed little of the delivered magnesium, which supports the notion that the loop of Henle is the principal segment accounting for adjustments in magnesium balance. These studies indicate that the superficial nephron of the rabbit performs similar to other species reported, except potassium reabsorption is significantly less in the proximal convoluted tubule.


1994 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 621-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Ma ◽  
E Aoki ◽  
R Semba

Biochemical studies have revealed considerable amounts of free amino acids in the kidney. We examined the intrarenal distribution of three amino acids (aspartate, glutamate, and taurine) in the rat kidney with an immunoperoxidase method. In the renal cortex, all three amino acids were concentrated in the renal corpuscles and in the epithelia of the collecting tubules. Immunostaining of the collecting tubules was more intense in the principal cells than in the intercalated cells. The distal convoluted tubules were also immunostained with aspartate- and glutamate- specific antibodies but not with the taurine-specific antibody. In the renal medulla, the immunoreactivity specific for aspartate and for glutamate was similar; it was weak in the thick portion of the loop of Henle and strong in the collecting tubules. Immunoreactivity specific for taurine was restricted to regions within the epithelia of the thin portion of the loop of Henle and the collecting tubules. The significance of the accumulated amino acids as osmoregulatory agents is discussed.


1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (4) ◽  
pp. F604-F613 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Asplin ◽  
N. S. Mandel ◽  
F. L. Coe

We have used published rat micropuncture data to construct a matrix of ion concentrations along the rat nephron. With an iterative computer model of known ion interactions, we calculated relative supersaturation ratios in all nephron segments. The collecting ducts and urine showed expected supersaturation with stone-forming salts. Fluid in the thin segment of the loop of Henle may be supersaturated with calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate under certain conditions. Because calculations cannot predict the actual course of crystallization, we made solutions to mimic, in vitro, presumed conditions in the loop of Henle. The solid phases that formed were analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction, electron microprobe, and infrared spectroscopy. All samples were identified as poorly crystallized or immature apatite. The descending limb of Henle's loop creates a unique condition as it extracts water but not sodium, bicarbonate, calcium, or phosphate, giving a calcium concentration at the bend of 3 mM, pH 7.4, and a phosphate concentration that varies from 0.8 to 48 mM, depending on parathyroid hormone and dietary phosphate. We conclude that conditions in the thin segment potentially could create a solid calcium phosphate phase, which may initiate nucleation of calcium oxalate salts in the collecting ducts, potentiating nephrolithiasis and nephrocalcinosis.


1995 ◽  
Vol 269 (4) ◽  
pp. F564-F570 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Blau ◽  
L. Daly ◽  
A. Fienberg ◽  
G. Teitelman ◽  
M. E. Ehrlich

DARPP-32, a dopamine- and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-regulated inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1, is highly colocalized with neuronal and nonneuronal D1-type receptors. DARPP-32 concentration is enriched in the renal outer medulla and in the medium-size spiny neurons of the brain. In the ascending limb of the loop of Henle, DARPP-32 is phosphorylated following stimulation by dopamine and other first messengers, and in this form inhibits the activity of the Na(+)-K(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase pump. For functional analysis of the DARPP-32 promoter in the kidney, we characterized the murine gene. There are two groups of transcription start sites utilized in the brain, but the proximal set appears to be preferentially used in the kidney. In four of four lines of mice carrying a DARPP-32/lacZ transgene with 2.1 kb of 5'-flanking DNA, adult kidney lacZ transgene expression mimicked that of endogenous DARPP-32. There was no ectopic expression in peripheral organs. We conclude that the sequences necessary for direction of DARPP-32 expression to the medullary thick ascending limb are contained within this 2.1-kb fragment.


1989 ◽  
Vol 256 (3) ◽  
pp. F421-F429 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Schnermann ◽  
J. P. Briggs

Experiments were performed in anesthetized rats to study the relationship between loop of Henle perfusion rate, arterial pressure, and stop-flow pressure (SFP) as an index of glomerular capillary pressure. In one set of experiments we measured the SFP feedback response to changes in loop perfusion at three levels of arterial pressure. The maximum SFP response fell significantly from 13.1 +/- 1.44 to 8.14 +/- 1.72 and 3.13 +/- 0.76 mmHg when arterial pressure was reduced from 118.1 +/- 1.27 to 98.8 +/- 0.51 and 78.8 +/- 1.72 mmHg. In other experiments arterial pressure was altered while loop perfusion rate was fixed at one of three levels. Without loop perfusion SFP changed with a slope of 0.27 +/- 0.04 mmHg/mmHg in the arterial pressure range between 80 and 130 mmHg. During perfusion at the flow rate at which response is half maximum, the slope was significantly reduced to 0.12 +/- 0.04. During perfusion at 45 nl/min, it was 0.03 +/- 0.05, a value not significantly different from zero. During dopamine administration (70 micrograms/kg min) SFP was pressure-dependent even during loop perfusion at 45 nl/min. These results show that arterial pressure determines TGF responsiveness and that the TGF signal determines the range of a regulatory input that is directly dependent on arterial pressure.


2012 ◽  
Vol 302 (3) ◽  
pp. F293-F297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascal Houillier ◽  
Soline Bourgeois

This review will briefly summarize current knowledge on the basolateral ammonia transport mechanisms in the thick ascending limb (TAL) of the loop of Henle. This segment transports ammonia against a concentration gradient and is responsible for the accumulation of ammonia in the medullary interstitium, which, in turn, favors ammonia secretion across the collecting duct. Experimental data indicate that the sodium/hydrogen ion exchanger isoform 4 (NHE4; Scl9a4) is a sodium/ammonia exchanger and plays a major role in this process. Disruption of murine NHE4 leads to metabolic acidosis with inappropriate urinary ammonia excretion and decreases the ability of the TAL to absorb ammonia and to build the corticopapillary ammonia gradient. However, NHE4 does not account for the entirety of ammonia absorption by the TAL, indicating that, at least, one more transporter is involved.


2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (6) ◽  
pp. F1867-F1872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruisheng Liu ◽  
Jeffrey L. Garvin ◽  
YiLin Ren ◽  
Patrick J. Pagano ◽  
Oscar A. Carretero

Superoxide (O2−) enhances tubuloglomerular feedback by scavenging nitric oxide at the macula densa. However, the singling pathway of O2− production in the macula densa is not known. We hypothesized that the increase in tubular NaCl concentration that initiates tubuloglomerular feedback induces O2− production by the macula densa via NAD(P)H oxidase, which is activated by macula densa depolarization. We isolated and microperfused the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle and attached macula densa in rabbits. A fluorescent dye, dihydroethidium, was used to detect O2− production at the macula densa. When luminal NaCl was switched from 10 to 80 mM, a situation of initiating maximum tubuloglomerular feedback response, O2− production significantly increased. To make sure that the shifts in the oxyethidium/dihydroethidium ratio were due to changes in O2−, we used tempol (10−4 M), a stable membrane-permeant superoxide dismutase mimetic. With tempol present, when we switched from 10 to 80 mM NaCl, the increase in oxyethidium/dihydroethidium ratio was blocked. To determine the source of O2−, we used the NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitor apocynin. When luminal NaCl was switched from 10 to 80 mM in the presence of apocynin, O2− production was inhibited by 80%. To see whether the effect of increasing luminal NaCl involves Na-K-2Cl cotransporters, we inhibited them with furosemide. When luminal NaCl was switched from 10 to 80 mM in the presence of furosemide, O2− production was blocked. To test whether depolarization of the macula densa induces O2− production, we artificially induced depolarization by adding valinomycin (10−6 M) and 25 mM KCl to the luminal perfusate. Depolarization alone significantly increases O2− production. We conclude that increasing luminal NaCl induces O2− production during tubuloglomerular feedback. O2− generated by the macula densa is primarily derived from NAD(P)H oxidase and is induced by depolarization.


1978 ◽  
pp. 661-679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurice B. Burg ◽  
John L. Stephenson
Keyword(s):  

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