Concentration and Dilution

of Urine
Study Question 1

Regulation of Plasma
By varying the amount
of water excreted relative to the
Osmolarity
amount of solute excreted (responses to water deprivation
and water intake).

Concentrated Urine
Also called hyperosmotic urine
Urine osmolarity > blood osmolarity
Produced when circulating ADH
levels are high
Water deprivation
Volume depletion

PRODUCTION OF
CONCENTRATED URINE

1. CORTICOPAPILLARY OSMOTIC
GRADIENT
Cortex (300mOsm/L)
> Papilla (1200
mOsm/L)
Composed of NaCl
and urea
Established by:
Countercurrent
multiplier
Urea recycling

Maintained by:
Vasa recta

1. CORTICOPAPILLARY OSMOTIC
GRADIENT
Countercurrent multiplier
(loop of Henle)
Depends on NaCl reabsorption
in thick AL and countercurrent
flow in loop of Henle
Augmented by ADH

Urea recycling
IMCD -> Medullary interstitial
fluid
Augmented by ADH

Vasa recta
Osmotic exchangers
Blood equilibrates osmotically
with the ISF of medulla and
papilla

2. Proximal Tubule
Osmolarity of
glomerular filtrate is
identical to plasma
(300 mOsm/L)
2/3 of filtered water is
reabsorbed
isosmotically in PT
TF/P = 1.0 in PT
because water is
reabsorbed
isosmotically with
solute.

3. Thick Ascending Limb

Diluting segment
Reabsorbs NaCl via
the 1Na 1K 2Cl
contransporter
Impermeable to
water
TF that leaves TAL
becomes dilute
100mOsm/L
TF/P: <1.0

4. Early Distal Tubule

Cortical diluting
segment
Reabsorbs NaCl
Impermeable to
water
Further dilution of
TF

5. Late Distal Tubule

ADH increases water
permeability of the
principal cells
H20 is reabsorbed until
osm of distal TF = osm
of surrounding ISF in
renal cortex (300
mOsm/L)
TF/P = 1.0 at end of
distal tubule (osmotic
equilibration occurs in
the presence of ADH)

6. Collecting Ducts
ADH increases water
permeability of the principal
cells
TF passes through
corticopapillary gradient
H20 is reabsorbed until osm of
TF = osm of surrounding ISF
Final Urine OSM = osm of TF at
bend of loop of Henle and at
the tip of papilla
(1200mOsm/L)
TF/P > 1.0 (osmotic
equilibration occurs with the
corticopapillary gradient in the
presence of ADH

Dilute Urine
Also called hypoosmotic urine
Urine osmolarity < blood osmolarity
Produced when circulating levels of
ADH is ineffective

PRODUCTION OF DILUTE
URINE

1. CORTICOPAPILLARY OSMOTIC
GRADIENT

Smaller than in
presence of ADH
ADH stimulates
countercurrent
multiplication and
urea recycling

2. Proximal Tubule

2/3 of filtered
water is
reabsorbed
isosmotically
TF/P = 1.0

3. Thick Ascending Limb

Reabsorbs NaCl via
the 1Na 1K 2Cl
contransporter
Impermeable to
water
TF that leaves TAL
becomes dilute
(although not as
dilute as that in the
presence of ADH)
TF/P: <1.0

4. Early Distal Tubule

Reabsorbs NaCl
Impermeable to
water
Further dilution of
TF
TF/P <1.0

5. Late Distal Tubule and Collecting

Ducts
Cells are
impermeable to H20
Osmotic equilibration
does not occur even
if TF flows through
corticopapillary
osmotic gradient
Osm of final urine is
dilute (~50mOsm/L)
TF/P < 1.0