Abstract
The fluid entering the loop of Henle is isotonic to plasma, but, after traversing the loop, fluid entering the distal tubule is hypotonic to plasma, i.e. the tubular fluid has been diluted during its passage around the loop of Henle. Only mammals and birds are able to produce concentrated urine (i.e. urine hypertonic to plasma), and only mammals and birds have loops of Henle.
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Further reading
Berl, T. (1998) Water channels in health and disease. Kidney Int. 53,1417–1418
Jamison, R. L. (1987) Short and long loop nephrons. Kidney Int. 31, 597–605
Reeves, W. B. and Andreoli, T. E. (1992) Sodium transport in the loop of Henle. In D. W. Seldin and C. Giebisch (eds), The kidney, physiology and pathophysiology, 2nd edition, Raven Press, New York, pp. 1975–2001
Wang X., Thomas, S. R. and Wexler, A. S. (1998) Outer medullary anatomy and the urine concentrating mechanism. Am. J. Physiol. 274, F413–F424
Zeidel, M. L. (1996) Low permeabilities of apical membranes of barrier epithelia: what makes watertight membranes watertight? Am. J. Physiol. 271, F243–F245
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© 2000 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Lote, C. (2000). The loop of Henle, distal tubule and collecting duct. In: Principles of Renal Physiology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4086-7_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4086-7_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-6178-7
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-4086-7
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