Biol 2420 Lecture 23

Urea

reabsorption is increased with vasopressin

also enhances water reabsorption

Tubular Secretion

similar to reabsorption - lower magnitude

Selectively sescreted

K - in late DCT and cortical collecting duct. subject to regulation.

upping plasma K concentration= hyperkalemia causes aldosterone release

less aldosterone causes lower K secretion

H ions - important in acid-base balance

waste products - creatinine and urobilin

Foreign substances - like penicillin

Organic Anion Transporters

Organic Cation Transporters

both with Tms

creatinine is secreted by OCTs

Regulation of H2O balance

the osmolality of body fluids is around 300mosm/L

urine concentration goes from 80 to 1200mosm/L

depends on presence of vertical osmotic gradient in the ISF of the renal medulla
2 main factors

1. the selective permeability of the nephron

a. specialized ion and water transport

b. urea recycling

2. Vascular architecture

The Vasa Recta

lie parallel to the LoH

The Countercurrent Multiplier System

1. Urea is trapped in the inner medulla - impermeable areas

2. countercurrent multiplier progressively ups the lumen solute concentration as the tubules
descend into the medulla

Net result: more NaCl is reabsorbed from the LoH than H2O is.

Establishment of Osmotic Gradient

1. Prior to the vertical gradient

2. Active transport of solutes from Thick Ascending Limb to ISF

3. Net diffusion of H2O from descending tubule to ISF

*no net movement of solutes

4. filtrate moving down becomes more concentrated, moving up becomes more dilute

Counter Current Heat Exchange

blood is close together so when heat escapes the blood, most of it goes into the other blood
Counter Current Exchange in LoH

1. the isf and lumen concentration are 300mosm/L

2. the movement of solutes out of the ascending limb creates a gradient that H2O can't follow

3. H2O flows out of the descending limb until the osmolalities equilibriate

1200mosm enter the acening LoH (because H2O leaves in the descending limb)

then there is a lot of solute reabsorption because of the NaKATPase pump

but H2O can't follow here

so there is only 100mosm leaving the loop

How is hyperosmotic or hyposmotic urine produced then?

1. Glomerulus - almost protein free filtrate isosmotic with the plasma

2. PCT

a. 2/3 of the Na is actively reabsorbed by the pump

b. Cl, K and H2O follow passively

c. there is a low urea permeability

2/3 of the filtrate is reabsorped, still isosmotic = 300mosm

3. Thin descending Limb

a. NO ACTIVE NA TRANSPORT

b. AQUAPORINS

c. some urea is secreted.

This causes a highly concentrated filtrate = 1200mosm

 4. Thin ascending Limb

a. Na and Cl go from lumen into ISF

b. H2O IMPERMEABLE

c. some urea secreted into lumen

So the lumen becomes more dilute - solutes go into ISF but no H2O

5. Thick ascending Limb

a. NaKATPase is working, pumping Na into ISF

b. this drives the NaK2Cl cotransporter

c. K diffuses back into lumen, and is cotransported with Cl into ISF

d. Paracellular movement of Na into ISF

e. impermeable to urea and H2O

More solute movement, no water movement = hyposmotic

6. DCT and Collecting ducts

a. only if Aldosterone is secreted:

active Na reabsorption (and K secretion)

b. H2O reabsorption (variable depending on vasopressin levels)

c. impermeable to urea (urea becomes very concentrated)

transport from inner medullary collecting duct back into ISF helps maintain
gradient

Vasopressin summary

a. Present:

late DCT and Collecting ducts allow H2O to pass back in

high H2O retention = high urine OSM

b. Absent:

Less H2O water movement back in - large volume of dilute urine