Thick ascending limb of loop of Henle

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Thick ascending limb of loop of Henle
Scheme of renal tubule and its vascular supply. (Labeled at center left.)
Nephron. Diagram is labeled in Polish, but ion flow can still be identified.
Latin	tubulus rectus distalis
Gray's	subject #253 1223
Dorlands/Elsevier	t_22/12830078

The thick ascending limb of loop of Henle (or distal straight tubule) is a segment of the nephron in the kidney. It can be divided into two parts: that in the renal medulla, and that in the renal cortex.

[edit] Medullary thick ascending limb

The medullary thick ascending limb remains impermeable to water. Sodium, potassium (K⁺) and chloride (Cl^-) ions are reabsorbed by active transport. K⁺ is passively transported along its concentration gradient through a K⁺ leak channel in the apical aspect of the cells, back into the lumen of the ascending limb. This K⁺ "leak" generates a positive electrochemical potential difference in the lumen. The electrical gradient drives more reabsorption of Na⁺, as well as other cations such as magnesium (Mg²⁺) and importantly calcium Ca²⁺.

Loop diuretics such as frusemide block the K⁺/Na⁺/2Cl^- co-transporter.

Urea which remains in the loop creates a solute potential that prevents water completely osmosing out into the interstitial space. This means that while almost all the ions are reabsorbed, there will still be some water in the urine, and hence, the concentration of the filtrate in the loop is decreased here. (If only ions were present, and a certain amount of ions were reabsorbed, one would expect the same amount of the water to be reabsorbed too, and hence the concentration would remain the same, but this is not true.)

This is also the part of the tubule that generates Tamm-Horsfall protein. The function of this protein is not well understood, but is responsible for creating urinary casts.

[edit] Cortical thick ascending limb

The difference between the medullary and cortical thick ascending limbs is mainly anatomical. Functionally, they are very similar.

The cortical thick ascending limb drains urine into the distal convoluted tubule.

[edit] External links

• Physiology at MCG 7/7ch07/7ch07p11
• Histology at BU 15804loa
• Overview at vet.cornell.edu

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

v • d • e Urinary system – Kidney Layers Renal fascia • Renal capsule • Renal cortex  (Renal column) • Renal medulla (Renal sinus, Renal pyramids, medullary interstitium) • Renal lobe • Cortical lobule • Medullary ray • Nephron Afferent circulation Renal artery → Segmental arteries → Interlobar arteries → Arcuate arteries → Cortical radial arteries → Afferent arterioles → Renal corpuscle (Glomerulus, Bowman's capsule) Renal tubule Proximal tubule → Loop of Henle (Descending, Thin ascending, Thick ascending) → Distal convoluted tubule → Connecting tubule → Collecting ducts → Duct of Bellini → Renal papilla → Minor calyx → Major calyx → Renal pelvis → Ureter Efferent circulation Glomerulus → Efferent arterioles → Peritubular capillaries / Vasa recta → Arcuate vein → Interlobar veins → Renal vein Juxtaglomerular apparatus Macula densa • Juxtaglomerular cells • Extraglomerular mesangial cell Filtration Glomerular basement membrane • Podocyte • Filtration slits • Intraglomerular mesangial cell • Tubular fluid Renal physiology Acid base physiology • Fluid balance