An important difference between the peritubular capillaries and the vasa recta in the kidney is that
A) only the vasa recta are supplied by efferent arterioles.
B) the vasa recta drain into arterioles, whereas the peritubular capillaries drain into venules.
C) the vasa recta are involved in filtration, whereas the peritubular capillaries are involved in resorption.
D) the vasa recta are in the medulla, whereas the peritubular capillaries are in the cortex.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The vasa recta are a series of straight capillaries in the medulla of the kidney, which contrast with the peritubular capillaries that are primarily found in the cortex. This distinction is important for their roles in the kidney's function, particularly in the process of urine concentration and the maintenance of the medullary osmotic gradient.

An Important Difference Between the Peritubular Capillaries and the Vasa