Loop of Henle, Distal Tubule and Collecting Duct Flashcards
What are the 2 key functionally distinct components of the Loop of Henle?
- Descending Limb (cortex –> medulla)
2. Thick Ascending Limb (medulla –> cortex)
What is the key function of the thick ascending limb?
To create a hyperosmolar interstitial space in the medulla to drive water loss from the descending limb and cortical collecting duct
What is the descending limb permeable to?
Water, not NaCl
Does water leave or enter the descending limb?
Leave the filtrate because of osmotic force
What happens to the water once it has left the descending limb?
Gets removed by the vasa recta
What is the permeability of the thick ascending limb (TAL)?
permeable to NaCl, impermeable to water
What does TAL do?
Actively transports Na+ into the medullary interstitium, and other ions follow (e.g. Cl-)
What is the osmotic pressure difference between the luminal side and interstitial side called?
Transverse gradient
What is the transverse gradient?
200mOsm/kg H2O
What is the primary active transport process in the TAL?
Na+/K+-ATPase on the basal cell membrane
What transporter is used by the TAL to move ions into the cell?
NKCC2 (Na+K+2Cl- transporter) on the apical membrane
What is the systematic name of the gene for NKCC2?
SLC12A1
What type of transporter is NKCC2?
Cation coupled chloride transporter
What is K+ recycling important for?
To ensure that the NKCC2 transporter can maintain its role of transporting large quantities of Na+ and Cl-
Na+ conc is much higher, so K+ needs to be recycled
What drugs inhibit the transporter NKCC2?
Loop diuretics
Examples of loop diuretics?
Furosemide, bumetanide, piretanide
What are the uses of furosemide?
cardiac failure, renal failure
What are the side effects of furosemide?
K+ loss (& subsequent hypokalaemia)
Hypovolaemia
Mild metabolic alkalosis
Los of Mg2+ and Ca2+
What is the permeability of the thin ascending limb?
Impermeable to water, permeable to Na+ so allows Na+ to passively move out into th emedullary interstitial fluid
What is Bartter’s syndrome?
Impairment of the transport processes in TAL
What transporter is used for Na+ absorption in the distal tubule?
Na+-Cl- transporter
What drugs block Na+ absorption in the distal tubule?
Thiazides and thiazide-like drugs
Examples of thiazides?
bendroflumethiazide, hydrochlorothiazide
Examples of thiazide-like drugs?
indapamide
What are the uses of thiazides and thiazide-like drugs?
antihypertensive
What are the side-effects of thiazides and thiazide-like drugs?
Increased uric acid
Hyperglycaemia
Hyponatraemia
What is the permeability of the collecting tube?
impermeable to urea and NaCl, sodium permeability controlled by ENaC, water permeability is regulated by ADH