How are contercurrent mechanisms involved in osmoregulation?

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Expert Solution

Osmoregulation is defined as regulating osmotic balance in blood.
Kidneys are main organs involved in regulation of osmotic balance.
The nephron consists of tubules that are arranged parallel to each other but run in opposite direction. These tubules are separated by interstitial space which contains interstitial fluid.
The descending limb of the loop of Henle is permeable to waterand impermeable to ions and other substances. This results in water movement across the tubular wall into the medullary space. The hypertonic filtrate then passes to ascending limb.
Ascending limb is impermeable to water and permeable to solutes. This will cause solutes to move out into the medullary space making the interstitial fluid hypotonic. This will attract water. This will develop countercurrent mechanism.
The active transport of ions from the thick ascending limb will create osmotic pressure. This causes water from the descending limb to move into medullary space and makes the filtrate hypertonic.
The countercurrent flow within the descending and ascending limb will increase osmotic gradient between tubular fluid and interstitial space and maintain osmotic balance.

Sydney Mullin answered 1 year ago

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