distal convoluted tubule

anatomy

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June 25, 2026

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The distal convoluted tubule is a part of the vertebrate nephron, located between the loop of Henle and the nonsecretory portion of the nephron. Its primary function is the concentration of urine, playing a key role in fine-tuning water and electrolyte balance.123

As the filtrate moves through the nephron, the distal convoluted tubule actively reabsorbs sodium, which influences the reabsorption of potassium and hydrogen ions. This process is significantly regulated by the hormone aldosterone, secreted by the adrenal gland, particularly when the body's sodium levels are low. The tubule's reabsorption of sodium and its relative impermeability to water help maintain a concentration gradient, crucial for concentrating urine.24

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drug
Renal system drugs
…the first part of the distal tubule. A mild diuresis results in which sodium, potassium, and chloride ions are eliminated in the urine. Examples of these drugs are chlorothiazide and hydrochlorothiazide.
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…the first part of the distal tubule. A mild diuresis results in which sodium, potassium, and chloride ions are eliminated in the urine. Examples of these drugs are chlorothiazide and hydrochlorothiazide.
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renal system
Minute structure
…portion of the tubule, the distal convoluted tubule, leads from the vascular pole of the corpuscle to a collecting tubule, by way of a short junctional tubule. Several of the collecting tubules join together to form a somewhat wider tubule, which carries the urine to a renal papilla and the…
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…portion of the tubule, the distal convoluted tubule, leads from the vascular pole of the corpuscle to a collecting tubule, by way of a short junctional tubule. Several of the collecting tubules join together to form a somewhat wider tubule, which carries the urine to a renal papilla and the…
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excretion
Mammals
…where it continues as the distal convoluted tubule. A collecting tubule, into which several nephrons open, courses through the medulla to open a wide cavity, the pelvis of the kidney. From the pelvis the ureter leads to the bladder, and from the bladder the urethra leads out of the body.
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…where it continues as the distal convoluted tubule. A collecting tubule, into which several nephrons open, courses through the medulla to open a wide cavity, the pelvis of the kidney. From the pelvis the ureter leads to the bladder, and from the bladder the urethra leads out of the body.
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renal system
Reabsorption from the distal convoluted tubule
The active transport of sodium out of the ascending limb renders the fluid entering the distal convoluted tubule less concentrated than plasma. Active sodium reabsorption continues throughout the whole of the distal tubule, and this extends to the early part of the…
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The active transport of sodium out of the ascending limb renders the fluid entering the distal convoluted tubule less concentrated than plasma. Active sodium reabsorption continues throughout the whole of the distal tubule, and this extends to the early part of the…
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