The Urinary

System

Tubular
Reabsorption
& Secretion

Objectives
To describe routes & mechanism of
tubular reabsorption & secretion
To describe reabsorption and secretion
processes at specific segments of the
renal tubule & collecting duct

Principles of tubule
reabsorption &
secretion
proximal tubule
- largest contribution in reabsorption
towards distal tubule
- fine tuning of reabsorption process
to maintain homeostatic balance of
H2O & selected ions
secretion of materials from blood &
tubular cells into tubular fluid

Reabsorption, Secretion &

Excretion in Urine

Routes of reabsorption
Tubule
lumen

Peritubular
capillaries
(movement of materials
b/w or through tubule cells)

Tight junctions
Apical membrane of tubular cells in
contact with tubular fluid
Basolateral membrane of tubular cells in
contact with interstitial fluid at base &
sides of cells

Routes of reabsorption

Paracellular reabsorption
passive leakage of fluid b/w tubule cells
accounts for up to 50% of reabsorption
Transcellular reabsorption
substance pass through apical
membrane, across cytosol & out into
interstitial fluid through basolateral
membrane

Routes of reabsorption

Transport mechanism
10 active transport
e.g. Na+ transport out of tubular fluid
via
Na+/K+ pump
energy from hydrolysis of ATP
20 active transport
use energy stored in an ions
electrochemical gradient to drive
another substance
across a
membrane
performed by membrane proteins
known as
symporters & antiporters

Water reabsorption
Obligatory H2O reabsorption
(approx.90%)
via osmosis
H2O following solutes that are
reabsorbed
in PCT & descending LOH (presence of
aquaporin 1 molecule)
Facultative H2O reabsorption (approx.
10%)
adapting to needs

Reabsorption & secretion at

PCT

fluid enters at a rate of 80 ml/min

(osmolarity in filtrate & plasma still the
same)
largest amount of solute & H2O
reabsorption
most involve Na+ reabsorption but also
other

ions (via Na+ symporter & Na+/H+

antiporter)
Na+ symporters also facilitate complete

Reabsorption & secretion at PCT

passive reabsorption of H2O causes

passive

diffusion of solutes down

electrochemical

gradient [Cl- (highest) ,

K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ &

urea] into peritubular

capillaries via para/transcellular routes in

2nd half of PCT
reabsorption of solutes then promotes
reabsorption of H2O via osmosis
Urea and NH3 are also secreted by PCT
tubule

cells into tubular fluid

Reabsorption at PCT

Reabsorption & secretion at PCT

Reabsorption & secretion at PCT

Reabsorption in the LOH

fluid enters at a rate of 40-45 ml/min
no filtered glucose, amino acids &
nutrients
15% of H2O reabsorbed at descending
LOH
little or no H2O reabsorption in thick
ascending
limb hence osmolarity of
tubular fluid
towards end of LOH
reabsorption of H2O via osmosis no longer
automatically coupled with
reabsorption of
filtered solutes due to
impermeability

Reabsorption in the LOH

Countercurrent Multiplier System

Reabsorption in the DCT

fluid enters at a rate of 25 ml/min
80% of H2O has been reabsorbed but 1015% reabsorption of H2O still occurs
reabsorption of Na+ & Cl- via Na+/Clsymporters
parathyroid hormone also stimulates
reabsorption of Ca2+ at DCT

Reabsorption in the CD
90-95% of H2O & solutes have been
reabsorbed
principal cells reabsorbed Na+ &
secrete K+
intercalated cells reabsorbed K+ /HCO3&

secrete H+

presence of Na+ leakage channels

allowing passive diffusion of Na+ into
peritubular

fluid

Reabsorption in the DCT & CD

Hormonal regulation
Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system
renin secreted by juxtaglomerular cells
when
blood volume and BP & during
sympathetic stimulation
results in production of angiotensin II
(active
hormone) which will
GFR by vasoconstriction of afferent
arteriole
reabsorption of Na+, CL- & H2O in PCT
stimulates release of aldosterone (more
Na+ &
Cl- being reabsorbed hence also

Hormonal regulation

ADH/ Vasopressin
H2O permeability of principal cells of
last part of DCT and CD (which contains
aquaporin 2 molecules)
ADH stimulates insertion of aquaporin
2
molecules into apical membrane
via exocytosis to facilitate H2O
movement
from
into tubule cells then
blood

tubular fluid
rapidly into

Hormonal regulation

Atrial natiuresis peptide (ANP)

inhibit reabsorption of Na+ & H2O in PCT
& CD
suppress secretion of ADH & aldosterone
hence excretion of Na+ in urine
causing

urine output and blood

volume and BP