The thick segment of the Loop of Henle is lined by which epithelium?

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Multiple Choice

The thick segment of the Loop of Henle is lined by which epithelium?

Parts of the Loop of Henle differ in epithelial type based on transport needs. The thin portions are simple squamous, designed for diffusion with a leaky, minimal-barrier lining. The thick segment, however, carries active ion transport to help create and maintain the medullary gradient, and that requires more metabolic machinery and a bet­ter-resourced cell surface. A simple cuboidal epithelium fits this role, with enough cytoplasm and mitochondria to power active transport of ions like sodium, potassium, and chloride. Water movement is limited in this segment, so the epithelium doesn’t need to be highly permeable to water. Therefore, the thick segment of the Loop of Henle is lined by simple cuboidal epithelium.

Parts of the Loop of Henle differ in epithelial type based on transport needs. The thin portions are simple squamous, designed for diffusion with a leaky, minimal-barrier lining. The thick segment, however, carries active ion transport to help create and maintain the medullary gradient, and that requires more metabolic machinery and a bet­ter-resourced cell surface. A simple cuboidal epithelium fits this role, with enough cytoplasm and mitochondria to power active transport of ions like sodium, potassium, and chloride. Water movement is limited in this segment, so the epithelium doesn’t need to be highly permeable to water. Therefore, the thick segment of the Loop of Henle is lined by simple cuboidal epithelium.

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