Question Details

This is used as an osmolyte in humans to increase medullary interstitial osmolality during concentration of urine

Options

A

TMAO

B

Uric acid

C

Urea

D

both (a) and (b)

Correct Answer :

Urea

Solution :

The correct option is Urea.

In the human kidney, the concentration of urine is a critical process governed by the medullary osmotic gradient. The renal medulla requires a high interstitial osmolality to draw water out of the collecting duct, thereby concentrating the urine. This gradient is maintained by two primary solutes: sodium chloride (NaCl) and urea.

Urea acts as a major physiological osmolyte in humans. During periods of water conservation, antidiuretic hormone (ADH) increases the permeability of the inner medullary collecting ducts to urea via specific urea transporters (UT-A1 and UT-A3). This allows urea to passively diffuse out of the collecting duct and accumulate in the medullary interstitium, significantly raising its osmolality and enabling efficient water reabsorption.

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