Concept:• Kidneys are the excretory organs in majority of mammals including humans
• Kidneys regulate water and electrolyte balance (osmoregulation) along with the excretion of metabolic waste and foreign chemicals.
• The functional units of mammalian kidneys are called Nephrons.
• These nephrons perform the function of filtration of blood and deposition of the urine in the collecting duct.
• This urine is later excreted out from the body through the urethral opening.
• A Nephron has three main parts:
1. Proximal Nephron
2. Loop of Henle
3. Distal Nephron
Explanation:
• The loop of Henle or Henle’s loop is a hairpin-like structure present between Proximal Nephron (PCT) and Distal Nephron (DCT)
• Loop of Henle has two limbs the descending limb and the ascending limb.
• The main function of Henle’s loop is to selectively reabsorb water and other important salts like NaCl, this makes the urine more concentrated.