The glomerular filtrate in the loop of Henle gets concentrated in the descending and then gets diluted in the ascending limbs. Explain.
The gradient of increasing hyperosmolarity of medullary interstitium is maintained by a counter current mechanism and the proximity between the Henle’s loop and vasa recta.
This gradient is mainly caused by NaCl and urea. The transport of these substances facilitated by the special arrangement of Henle’s loop and vasa recta is called the counter current mechanism. NaCl is transported by the ascending limb of Henle’s loop, which is exchanged with the descending limb of vasa-recta. NaCl is returned to the medullary interstitium by the ascending part of vasa recta. But, contrarily, the water diffuses into the blood of ascending limb of vasa recta and is carried away into the general blood circulation.
Permeability to urea is found only in the deeper parts of thin ascending limbs of Henle’s loops and collecting ducts. Urea diffuses out of the collecting ducts and enters into the thin ascending limb. A certain amount of urea recycled in this way is trapped in medullary interstitium by the collecting tubule. This mechanism helps in the maintenance of a concentration gradient in the medullary interstitium.
Presence of such gradient helps in an easy passage of water from the collecting tubule, resulting in the formation of concentrated urine (filtrate) i.e., nearly four times concentrated than the initial filtrate formed.