COUNTER CURRENT MECHANISM;

Counter current mechanism is one of the mechanisms by which our kidneys maintain or regulate
water/electrolyte balance in our body. This counter current mechanism occurs in the descending loop
of Henle in the nephrons. It is an important process because it is used to concentrate urine in the
kidneys without which leads to loss of excess fluids. The juxtamedullary nephrons are covered by
blood capillaries and they are involved in the reabsorption of water from the glomerular filtrate back
to the blood by osmosis. Thin descending loop is permeable to both water and small solutes like
sodium ions. Passive entry of sodium from this thin segment and active transport of sodium from
ascending loop. This creates an osmotic gradient in interstitial fluid which then attracts water from
filtrate.