Question

Which of the following is not correct?

• A. The blood vessel leading to the glomerulus is called the afferent arteriole.
• B. Juxtamedullary nephrons, peritubular capillaries and Bowman's capsule all lie in the cortical region of the kidney.
• C. Cortical nephrons have no or highly reduced vasa recta.
• D. Vasa recta run parallel to the Henle's loop in juxtamedullary nephrons but the flow of blood inside them is in the opposite direction.

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

The Malpighian corpuscle, PCT and DCT of the nephron are situated in the cortical region of the kidney whereas the loop of Henle dips into the medulla. In majority of nephrons, the loop of Henle is too short and extends only very little into the medulla. Such nephrons are called cortical nephrons.
The efferent arteriole emerging from the glomerulus forms a fine capillary network around the renal tubule called the peritubular capillaries. A minute vessel of this network runs parallel to the Henle’s loop forming a ‘U’ shaped vasa recta. Vasa recta is absent or highly reduced in cortical nephrons.