Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Urea transport in the kidney

A G Gillin1, J M Sands

  • 1Department of Renal Medicine, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.

Seminars in Nephrology
|March 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

Kidney urea transporters are crucial for concentrating urine. A specific transporter in the inner medullary collecting duct is essential for maintaining high urine osmolality, as demonstrated by individuals lacking this transporter.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Prospective evaluation of low-dose ketoconazole plus hydrocortisone in docetaxel pre-treated castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.

Prostate cancer and prostatic diseases·2015
Same author

Adrenalectomy blocks the compensatory increases in UT-A1 and AQP2 in diabetic rat kidney.

The Journal of membrane biology·2007
Same author

Effect of nitrogen intake on nitrogen recycling and urea transporter abundance in lambs.

Journal of animal science·2004
Same author

Molecular mechanisms of urea transport.

The Journal of membrane biology·2003
Same author

Expression of salt and urea transporters in rat kidney during cisplatin-induced polyuria.

Kidney international·2001
Same author

Localization of the urea transporter UT-B protein in human and rat erythrocytes and tissues.

American journal of physiology. Cell physiology·2001

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Renal Physiology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Urea transport is vital for kidney function, particularly in the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD).
  • High urea transport in the IMCD is essential for generating concentrated urine by maintaining medullary interstitial osmolality.
  • A specific vasopressin- and hyperosmolarity-stimulated urea transporter facilitates this process.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the critical role of the urea transporter in the terminal IMCD for maximal urine concentrating ability.
  • To investigate the physiological consequences of lacking functional urea transporters in humans.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of a natural experiment involving individuals lacking functional urea transporters.
  • Assessment of urine concentrating ability in subjects with and without the Kidd antigen (linked to urea transport).

Main Results:

  • Individuals lacking the Kidd antigen also lacked carrier-mediated urea transport in erythrocytes and kidneys.
  • These individuals were unable to concentrate urine above 800 mOsm/L after water deprivation.
  • This demonstrates a direct link between urea transporter function and human urine concentrating capacity.

Conclusions:

  • The urea transporter in the terminal IMCD is indispensable for achieving maximally concentrated urine in humans.
  • Deficiency in this urea transporter severely impairs the kidney's ability to conserve water.

Related Experiment Videos