A curved tube which forms the main part of a nephron in the kidney.
Shaped portion of a microscopic kidney tubule in the nephron; site of action of many important drugs, including some diuretics (thus, the term—loop diuretics—for drugs like furosemide).
A U-shaped segment of the renal tubule, comprised of the thin descending limb and thick ascending limb.
The part of a kidney tubule that forms a loop extending toward the center of the kidney. It is surrounded by blood capillaries, which reabsorb water and selected soluble substances back into the bloodstream.
That part of the nephron between the proximal and distal convoluted tubules. It extends into the renal medulla as a hairpin shaped loop. The ascending link of the loop actively transports sodium from the lumen of the tube to the interstitium, and this, combined with the ‘counter-current’ flow of fluid through the two limbs of the loop, plays a part in concentrating the urine.
Within each of the kidney’s filtration units, or nephrons, there exists a segment of the lengthy renal tubule known as the loop of Henlé. This U-shaped structure plays a role in reabsorbing water and specific soluble substances into the bloodstream.