The role of the collecting duct in the regulation of excretion of sodium and other electrolytes

Abstract

The development of a number of in vivo and in vitro techniques to evaluate the function of the collecting duct clearly demonstrates that this segment is not simply a passive conveyor in which water and urea equilibrate with the medullary interstitium, but that it is intimately involved in the regulation of the excretion of sodium and other electrolytes. The recent findings which have led to this conclusion are summarized.