Human Anatomy & Physiology III

The Urinary System

Giorgio Lagna, Ph.D.
Instructor of Biology, Foothill College
The urine that leaves your bladder when you use
the bathroom is composed of your blood.
• To what extent do you agree with this
statement? What is the reasoning for your
opinion?

• Discuss with your group and prepare to

say a few sentences to express your
opinion. There are no right/wrong
answers now and no research is
needed. This is simply a chance to
explore some of your thoughts before we
elaborate on urine creation.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

So, is urine composed from blood!?
Many people think of urine creation this way:

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

So, is urine composed from blood!?
A slightly more accurate visualization of how that extra water we drink gets into our
bladder

a slightly more accurate visualization of how that extra water we drink gets into our bladder

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Overview of the Urinary System Structures

Figure 24.1 Organs of the urinary system in a female.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

External Anatomy of the Kidneys
• Each kidney is held in place and protected by three external layers of connective tissue;
from superficial to deep:
– Renal fascia – dense irregular connective tissue; anchors each kidney to
peritoneum and musculature of posterior abdominal wall
– Adipose capsule – thickest layer; wedges each kidney in place and shields them
from physical shock
– Renal capsule – thin layer of dense irregular connective tissue; covers exterior of
each kidney; protects it from infection and physical trauma

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Internal Anatomy of the Kidneys
• Three distinct regions can be seen microscopically on frontal section of entire kidney:
– Outermost renal cortex, middle renal medulla, and innermost renal pelvis
– Renal cortex and renal medulla make up urine-forming portion of kidney
– Renal pelvis and its associated structures drain urine formed in cortex and medulla

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Internal Anatomy of the Kidneys
• Renal cortex is reddish-brown due to its rich blood supply
– 90–95% of all kidney’s blood vessels are in renal cortex
– Renal columns – extensions of renal cortex; pass through renal medulla toward
renal pelvis; house branches of renal artery travelling to outer cortex

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Internal Anatomy of the Kidneys
• Over one million nephrons (filtering apparatus) are within cortex and medulla of each kidney; consist of two
main components:
– Globe-shaped renal corpuscle in renal cortex
– Long renal tubule; mostly in cortex with some tubules dipping into medulla

• Cone-shaped renal pyramids are within renal medulla; separated by renal columns on either side

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Internal Anatomy of the Kidneys
• Each renal pyramid tapers into slender papilla

– Each papilla borders on cup-shaped tube (minor calyx); first urine-draining structure

– Three to four minor calyces drain into larger urine-draining structure (major calyx)

– Two to three major calyces drain into large urine collecting chamber (renal pelvis); leads to ureter

– Smooth muscle tissue contraction within walls of calyces and renal pelvis propel urine toward ureter

– Calyces and renal pelvis are in renal sinus

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Blood Supply of the Kidneys
• Left and right renal arteries – branches of abdominal aorta
– Kidneys receive about one-fourth of total cardiac output (about 1200 ml of blood
per minute)
– Renal arteries branch into ever-smaller vessels through renal sinus on way to
renal columns and renal cortex
– Use (Figure 24.4a) to trace path of blood flow from largest to smallest arteries:

1-renal artery → 2-segmental artery → 3-interlobar artery →

4-arcuate artery → 5-interlobular (cortical radiate artery)

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Blood Supply of the Kidneys (4 of 4)

Figure 24.4 Blood flow through the kidney.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Getting from Blood to Urine: Step #1 - Filtration

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

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BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

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BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
What does the kidney do?
• Primarily, the kidney needs to remove from the blood the waste products of the body’s
metabolism without tossing away any of the good stuff!

How does it do it?

• It dumps out most of the plasma, then re-absorbs all the goodies and lets the waste
products exit in the urine!

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

 glomerulus

Blood Supply of the Kidneys

t
f eren le
ef erio
art
• Recall from BIOL 40B: what do we
find after arterioles and capillaries?
t
Venules or more arterioles? eren
aff
• Kidney contains unusual capillary .
art
bed system; arterioles both feed
and drain capillaries; normally
function of venule
– Each interlobular artery leads
to afferent arterioles; feed
ball-shaped capillary bed
(glomerulus)
– Glomerulus and its capillaries
are part of renal corpuscle of
nephron; drains into efferent
arteriole
– Efferent arteriole feeds into
second capillary bed
(peritubular capillaries)

peritubular
capillaries

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

• Nephron:
– Renal corpuscle – responsible
for filtering blood; composed of:
§ Glomerulus – group of
looping fenestrated
capillaries; extremely “leaky,”
or permeable
§ Glomerular capsule
(Bowman’s capsule) –
double-layered outer sheath
of epithelial tissue

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

• Nephron:
– Renal corpuscle – responsible
for filtering blood;
– Proximal convoluted tubule –
responsible for re-absorbing 65%
of the water and other goodies
– Nephron loop – reabsorbs water
and salts
– Distal convoluted tubule – more
reabsorption + forms a structure
with the arterioles to regulate
blood pressure and glomerular
filtration rate

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

• Nephron:
– Renal corpuscle – responsible
for filtering blood;
– Proximal convoluted tubule –
responsible for re-absorbing 65%
of the water and other goodies
– Nephron loop – reabsorbs water
and salts
– Distal convoluted tubule – more
reabsorption + forms a structure
with the arterioles to regulate
blood pressure and glomerular
filtration rate
– Collecting duct – reabsorbs the
last bit of water and makes very
concentrated urine

: ion!
y rule funct
iolog llows
B fo
for m
BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
Cortical and juxtamedullary nephrons.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Microanatomy of the Kidney: The Nephron
and the Collecting System (5 of 18)

Figure 24.6 The renal corpuscle.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Microanatomy of the Kidney: The Nephron
and the Collecting System (12 of 18)

Figure 24.7 Structural characteristics of the renal tubule.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Microanatomy of the Kidney: The Nephron
and the Collecting System (14 of 18)

JGA regulates
blood pressure
and glomerular
Figure 24.8 The juxtaglomerular apparatus. filtration rate
BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
Basic Physiology of the Nephron

Three physiological
processes carried
out by the kidneys.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

 Combined surface area of filtration
Glomerular Filtration membranes of both kidneys is about 6 m2
(size of a small bedroom)!
125 ml/min
It filters the three liters of blood plasma
about 60 times per day! (45 gallons/day)

Blood cells and proteins Water and small solutes

(e.g., albumin) are too (e.g., urea, glucose) are
large to fit through the small enough to pass
filtration slits through the filtration slits
and enter
BIOL40C –the filtrate
Prof. Giorgio Lagna
Glomerular Filtration

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Glomerular Filtration

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Review
The composition of the filtrate is based primarily on

a. Solubility

b. Polarity

c. Charge

d. Size

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Review
Which of the following does NOT normally appear in the filtrate?

a. Water

b. Urea

c. Albumin

d. Glucose

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

The Filtration Membrane and the Filtrate
(5 of 6)
Filtration membrane (continued):

• Pore size determines composition of fluid and solutes that pass into capsular space as
filtrate
– Water and small dissolved solutes (glucose, amino acids, and very small
proteins) pass through filtration membrane easily
– Nitrogenous wastes – group of small substances that are readily filtered;
include:
§ Urea and ammonium ions (NH4+) from protein metabolism
§ Creatinine – produced by enzyme creatine kinase in muscle
§ Uric acid – product of nucleic acid metabolism

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

The Filtration Membrane and the Filtrate
(6 of 6)
• Filtration fraction – percentage of plasma that becomes filtrate in capsular space
– Averages about 20% – 1/5th of plasma that enters glomerulus becomes filtrate
– Looping structure of glomerular capillaries increases their surface area allowing
for large filtration fraction
– Combined surface area of filtration membranes of both kidneys is about 6 m2
(size of a small bedroom)
– Structure–Function Core Principle; large surface area makes filtration through
stack of ever-finer filters very efficient

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

The Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)
(1 of 7)
Amount of filtrate formed by both kidneys in one minute is glomerular filtration rate
(GFR); 125 ml/min or equivalent of filtering all three liters of blood plasma about 60 times
per day

• Two forces that generate filtration pressures that drive fluid movement in typical
capillary bed include:
• Hydrostatic pressure (blood pressure) – force of fluid on capillary walls; pushes water
out of capillary into interstitial space

• Colloid osmotic pressure (COP) – pressure created by proteins (mostly albumin) in

plasma; osmotic gradient pulls water into capillaries by osmosis

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

The Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)
(4 of 7)
• Net filtration pressure at glomerulus is determined by three driving forces (Figure
24.13):
– Glomerular hydrostatic pressure (GHP) – determined mostly by systemic blood
pressure; about 50 mm Hg; higher than average capillary bed hydrostatic pressure
(17–35 mm Hg); favors filtration of substances through filtration membrane into
capsular space
– Glomerular colloid osmotic pressure (GCOP) – similar to COP; created mostly
by albumin; only slightly higher (30 mm Hg) than typical capillary bed; opposes
filtration by pulling water back into glomerular capillaries
– Capsular hydrostatic pressure (CHP) – generated as capsular space rapidly fills
with new filtrate (10 mm Hg) as fluid can only move so quickly into renal tubule;
opposes filtration

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

The Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)
• Net filtration pressure (NFP) − combination of these three forces:

NFP = GHP − (GCOP + CHP)

• NFP favors filtration as GHP is greater than sum of forces that oppose filtration (GCOP +
CHP)

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Big Picture Animation: Glomerular
Filtration Rate (GFR)

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Review (11 of 64)
Hydrostatic pressure

a. Is the pressure created by proteins in a fluid

b. Is higher than the blood pressure

c. Is the force of fluid on the wall of its container

d. Pulls fluid into the capillaries

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Review (13 of 64)
Glomerular colloidal osmotic pressure

a. Is the pressure created by ions in a fluid

b. Is higher than the blood pressure

c. Is the force of fluid on the wall of its container

d. Pulls fluid into the capillaries

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Review (15 of 64)
Net filtration pressure at the glomerulus

a. Is less than that of most body capillaries

b. Is typically about 10 mm Hg

c. Is not related to the glomerular filtration rate

d. Pulls fluid into the glomerular capillary

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Regulating Glomerular Filtration Rate

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Factors that Affect the Glomerular
Filtration Rate (1 of 11)
Autoregulation – internal kidney mechanisms that work together to maintain GFR within
normal range; example of Feedback Loops Core Principle; consists of two negative
feedback processes:

• Myogenic mechanism – similar to constriction of smooth muscle in blood vessel walls

in response to increases in blood pressure
– Increased systemic blood pressure stretches afferent arteriole increasing GFR;
triggers smooth muscle constriction of afferent arteriole, reducing blood flow
through glomerulus and returning GFR back to normal
– Decreased systemic blood pressure stretches afferent arteriole less, reducing
GFR; triggers smooth muscle relaxation, increasing blood flow through glomerulus,
causing increase in GFR back toward normal range
– Mechanism works best for systemic blood pressure changes between 80 and 180
mmHg to rapidly restore GFR back to normal

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BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
Factors that Affect the Glomerular
Filtration Rate (3 of 11)
Autoregulation (continued):

• Tubuloglomerular feedback – second mechanism; involves macula densa of distal

renal tubule; negative feedback loop controls pressure in glomerulus in response to
NaCl concentration of filtrate
– As GFR increases, volume of filtrate flowing through renal tubule increases, and
more sodium and chloride ions are absorbed into macula densa
– Macula densa responds to increases in NaCl concentration by releasing
chemicals that cause afferent arteriole to constrict (Cell–Cell Communication
Core Principle)
– Macula densa also signals JG cells causing reduction in release of hormones,
renin and angiotensin-II; allow efferent arteriole to dilate causing decrease in GFR
towards normal
– Decreases in GFR reduces sodium and chloride ions absorbed by macula densa;
triggers dilation of afferent arteriole and constriction of efferent arteriole; increase
glomerular hydrostatic pressure to restore GFR

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BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
Factors that Affect the Glomerular
Filtration Rate (5 of 11)
• Hormonal effects on GFR are part of larger system that involves regulation of systemic
blood pressure and includes angiotensin-II and natriuretic peptides
– Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) – complex system that
maintains systemic blood pressure primarily and GFR secondarily; responds to
combination of three conditions:
§ Stimulation by sympathetic nervous system
§ Low glomerular hydrostatic pressure
§ Stimulation from macula densa
§ When blood pressure drops so does GFR; reduction in blood flow through
afferent arteriole triggers JG cells to release renin into bloodstream
§ Renin converts angiotensinogen to angiotensin-I; can be further converted
to more active form, angiotensin-II, by angiotensin-converting enzyme
(ACE) produced by endothelial cells in lungs

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Factors that Affect the Glomerular
Filtration Rate (7 of 11)
• Hormonal effects on GFR (continued):
– Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (continued):
§ Angiotensin-II promotes:
– Vasoconstriction of efferent arterioles and systemic blood vessels
– Reabsorption of sodium ions, chloride ions and water from proximal
tubule
– Aldosterone release, further promoting sodium and water reabsorption
– Increased thirst
§ All of which increase systemic blood pressure and subsequently GFR

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS)

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Big Picture Animation: GFR Regulation

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Factors that Affect the Glomerular
Filtration Rate (9 of 11)
• Hormonal effects on GFR (continued):
– Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) – hormone released by heart cells in atria in
response to increasing fluid volume; lowers blood volume and blood pressure to
reduce workload of heart
§ ANP increases GFR by dilating afferent arterioles and constricting efferent
arterioles; increases glomerular hydrostatic pressure
§ High GFR leads to blood volume reduction by favoring fluid loss from kidneys;
reduces systemic blood pressure

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Factors that Affect the Glomerular
Filtration Rate (10 of 11)
• Hormonal effects on GFR (continued):
– Neural regulation of GFR primarily involves sympathetic division of autonomic
nervous system and its hormone norepinephrine (noradrenaline) as it works with
larger system to control systemic blood pressure
§ Increased sympathetic activity causes constriction of afferent arterioles like
most systemic blood vessels; increases systemic blood pressure; effect on
GFR depends on level of stimulation
§ Low levels of sympathetic stimulation trigger JG cells to release renin,
ultimately leading to formation of angiotensin-II; raises systemic blood
pressure and increases GFR
§ High levels of sympathetic stimulation leads to high levels of angiotensin-II;
constricts both afferent and efferent arterioles, decreasing GFR to minimize
fluid loss, preserve blood volume, and maintain blood pressure

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Concept Boost: How Changes in Arteriolar
Diameter Influence GFR (1 of 4)
Think of blood flowing in and out of glomerulus as being similar to water flowing in and out
of sink; afferent arteriole is faucet, basin is glomerulus, and efferent arteriole is drainpipe

• Vasoconstriction of afferent arteriole “turns down faucet”; allows less blood to flow into
glomerulus; decreases GHP and GFR

• Vasoconstriction of efferent arteriole “clogs drain”; causes blood to back up within

glomerulus; increases GHP and thus increases GFR

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Concept Boost: How Changes in Arteriolar
Diameter Influence GFR (3 of 4)
• Vasodilation of afferent arteriole “turns up faucet”; increases GHP and GFR

• Vasodilation of the efferent arteriole “unclogs drain,” allowing increased flow out of
glomerulus; decreases GHP and GFR

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Factors That Affect the Glomerular
Filtration Rate

Table 24.1 Summary of Control of the Glomerular Filtration Rate.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

The RAAS and Hypertension
• Three classes of drugs act on RAAS to reduce blood pressure:
– ACE inhibitors – developed from snake venom; block ACE; therefore inhibit
conversion of angiotensin I to II
– Angiotensin-receptor blockers – block receptors on blood vessels and proximal
tubule cells; prevents vasoconstriction and reabsorption of water and sodium
– Aldosterone antagonists – block effects of aldosterone on distal tubule;
decrease reabsorption of sodium and water; leads to diuretic effect

• Drugs may decrease GFR in patients with pre-existing renal disease; must be
monitored

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Discussion Prompt 1:

Jonjei has a test coming up in class and he is stressed out. From studying physiology, he
realizes his stress causes a temporary increase in his blood pressure.

Would this initially increase or decrease filtration in Jonjei's kidneys?

Describe one example of a physiological process that would get filtration back to
normal in Jonjei's kidneys and how that process works.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Discussion Prompt 2:

Doctors often treat chronic high blood pressure by prescribing drugs

called Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitors (ACE Inhibitors). These drugs have
numerous complex impacts in the kidneys, but we will consider some of their impacts on
glomerular filtration.

• Explain a mechanism for how ACE Inhibitors might decrease urine

production. Use the terms Efferent Arteriole and Glomerular Filtration in your
response.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Tubular Reabsorption and Secretion

99% of water and solutes are reabsorbed from the filtrate

How? Recall from BIOL 40A:
Facilitated diffusion – carrier passively transports substance without using energy from ATP
Primary Active transport – directly uses ATP to move substance against concentration gradient;
Secondary active transport – concentration gradient set up by primary active transport is used to drive
transport of second substance against its concentration gradient.
BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
But not everything can be
transported…
• Transport maximum – especially important with substances such as glucose
§ Pumps can become saturated when all binding sites are filled; represents
their transport maximum (TM); maximal blood solute levels that can be
transported
§ Substances that do not bind to carrier protein because of saturation will most
likely remain in filtrate and eventually be eliminated from body in urine

• If too much glucose is present in filtrate, TM will be reached before all glucose is
reabsorbed; excess will appear in urine (glycosuria)

• Commonly seen in diabetes mellitus – due to defects in production of or response to

insulin; causes inability of cells to take up glucose; leads to high circulating blood
glucose (hyperglycemia), high filtrate glucose content, and therefore glucose
remaining in urine

Copyright © 2019, 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 Glucose reabsorption in the proximal tubule
Blood in
Filtrate in Cytosol in proximal peritubular
Interstitial
tubule lumen tubule cell capillary
fluid

1 Na+ /K + pumps move Na+

out of the proximal tubule
cell into the interstitial fluid,
Na+ creating a Na+ concentration
Na+/glucose
gradient via primary active
symporter
transport.
K+
Na+
Na+/K+ pump
2 Na+ and glucose are moved
into the cell from the filtrate
Amino acids, Glucose by Na+ /glucose symporters,
lactic acid, using the energy of the Na+
sulfate ions, gradient. This is secondary
Glucose active transport.
and phosphate
ions are also
transported by Carrier protein 3 Glucose is transported from
secondary
the proximal tubule cell to the
active transport interstitial fluid via facilitated
High Low High
diffusion, and then diffuses
Na+ Na+ Na+
into the peritubular capillary.

eostas is
te ho m
Na+ concentration gradient Na + concentration gradient
hy i s e lectroly c tion?
W e y fun
l kidn
a critica
BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
 Bicarbonate reabsorption in the proximal tubule
Blood in
Filtrate in Cytosol in proximal Interstitial peritubular
tubule lumen tubule cell fluid capillary

5 This process repeats as

H+ are again secreted
Na+/H+ into the filtrate.
1 H+ secreted into the transporter
filtrate combine with
HCO3-- to form H2CO3. H+
Na+ H+
H+ + HCO3--

2 H2CO3 is converted, CA CA
via carbonic H2CO3 H2O + CO2 CO2 + H2O H2CO3
anhydrase (CA), into
CO2 and H2O.

HCO3-- HCO3--

3 CO2 diffuses into the 4 HCO3-- are transported

tubule cell cytosol into the interstitial fluid
and combines with and then move into the
H2O to become blood.
HCO3-- and H+.

The proximal tubule reabsorbs ~ 90% of bicarbonate ions; this is

key to maintain pH of blood within range (7.35–7.45)
BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
 Obligatory water reabsorption in the proximal tubule
Blood in
Filtrate in Cytosol in proximal Interstitial peritubular
tubule lumen tubule cell fluid capillary

Solute
particles

1 Solutes passively diffuse or are

actively transported into the
tubule cell and interstitial fluid. H2 O H2 O H2 O H2 O

2 The resulting solute concentration

gradient draws water into the H2 O H2 O H2 O H2 O
tubule cell through the aquaporin
channels via osmosis.
Second half of proximal Aquaporin
tubule à sodium ions,
glucose, and other organic
molecules have already H2 O H2 O H2 O
been reabsorbed!
Water is “obliged” to follow
reabsorbed substances
Why is fluid and electrolyte homeostasis a BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
critical kidney function?
 Tubular Reabsorption and Secretion

What is reabsorbed in the proximal tubule? What is secreted in the proximal tubule?
t all! e.g., penicillin and
almos morphine have
m ounts! significant renal
a
ignif icant secretion
s
BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
65%
Big Picture Animation: Reabsorption and
Secretion in Proximal Tubule

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Review (31 of 64)
The proximal tubule

a. Reabsorbs 100% of the filtered water

b. Reabsorbs filtered hydrogen ions

c. Reabsorbs about 90% of filtered bicarbonate ions

d. Reabsorbs filtered uric acid

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Big Picture Animation: Reabsorption and
Secretion in Distal Tubule

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Putting It All Together: The Big Picture of
Tubular Reabsorption and Secretion

Figure 24.19 The Big Picture of Tubular Reabsorption and Secretion.

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Production of Concentrated Urine
• Kidneys effectively conserve water by
producing very concentrated urine
(reaching nearly 1200 mOsm) using two
mechanisms:
– Release of ADH (anti-diuretic
hormone) turns on facultative water
reabsorption
– Water reabsorption happens only by
osmosis à osmosis (passive
process) will occur only if
concentration gradient is present

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

 Production of Concentrated Urine
• Kidneys effectively conserve water by
producing very concentrated urine
(reaching nearly 1200 mOsm) using two
mechanisms:
– Release of ADH (anti-diuretic
hormone) turns on facultative water
reabsorption
– Water reabsorption happens only by
osmosis à osmosis (passive
process) will occur only if
concentration gradient is present
Facultative water reabsorption takes
place only if interstitial fluid
surrounding nephron is more
concentrated than filtrate!

How is this osmotic gradient created?

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna
Countercurrent Mechanism and Production
of Concentrated Urine
• Countercurrent mechanism creates and maintains medullary osmotic gradient by
exchanging materials in opposite directions between filtrate and interstitial fluids;
involves three factors:
– Countercurrent multiplier system in nephron loops
– Recycling of urea in medullary collecting ducts
– Countercurrent exchanger in vasa recta

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BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

 Countercurrent multiplier
• Ve
ry
• im permeab
perm
eable le to wate
to Na r
Cl

r
eab l e to wate Cl
rm Na
• Impe ly transports
e
• Activ

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Countercurrent multiplier

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Countercurrent Mechanism and Production
of Concentrated Urine

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

The vasa recta and the countercurrent exchanger help
maintain the medullary osmotic gradient

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Big Picture Animation: Countercurrent
Multiplication and Exchange

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Review
The ascending limb of the nephron loop

a. Reabsorbs sodium and chloride

b. Reabsorbs sodium, chloride, and water

c. Reabsorbs water only

d. Reabsorbs glucose, amino acids, and other organic solutes

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Review
The descending limb of the nephron loop

a. Reabsorbs sodium and chloride

b. Reabsorbs sodium, chloride, and water

c. Reabsorbs water only

d. Reabsorbs glucose, amino acids, and other organic solutes

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna

Review
Countercurrent multiplication

a. Occurs only in cortical nephrons

b. Creates the cortical concentration gradient

c. Requires interaction between the proximal and distal tubules

d. Involves filtrate flowing in opposite directions through limbs of the loop

BIOL40C – Prof. Giorgio Lagna