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🔬 Biology  ·  Excretory Products and their Elimination  ·  NEET

Urea recycling between the collecting duct and the loop of Henle contributes to the kidney's concentrating ability mainly by:

Answer: Adding to medullary osmolarity, which aids water reabsorption from the duct.

  • A Adding to medullary osmolarity, which aids water reabsorption from the duct
  • B Reducing sodium reabsorption mainly along the nephron
  • C Pumping water out of the collecting duct without any osmotic gradient
  • D Diluting the medullary interstitium to limit water loss

Correct answer: A. Adding to medullary osmolarity, which aids water reabsorption from the duct

Explanation: Urea diffuses out of the collecting duct into the medullary interstitium and is recycled back into the loop of Henle, contributing to the high medullary osmolarity that drives water reabsorption from the collecting duct.

The Nephron: Stages of Urine FormationBowman'scapsuleFILTRATIONPCTbulk REABSORPTIONLoop of Henlecounter-current - concentrates medullaDCTSECRETIONCollecting ductADH acts HERE

Filtrate flows through four functionally distinct stages of the nephron: Bowman's capsule filters blood, the PCT reabsorbs most useful substances unconditionally, the Loop of Henle builds a concentration gradient via counter-current exchange, the DCT secretes selected substances, and the collecting duct performs the final ADH-controlled water reabsorption.

Concept context

Nitrogenous waste, kidney structure, urine formation in the nephron, and hormonal regulation of excretion.

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