Define the vasa recta. A)The vasa recta contains sympathetic postganglionic fibers. B)The vasa recta contain the afferent and efferent arterioles. C)The vasa recta contain parasympathetic postganglionic fibers. D)The vasa recta are long,straight capillaries that that parallel the nephron loop. E)The vasa recta are capillaries that surround the entire renal tubule.

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The vasa recta are long, straight capillaries that run parallel to the nephron loop in the renal medulla, forming a hairpin loop configuration. They function to maintain the concentration gradient in the renal medulla by carrying away excess solutes and water that diffuse out of the nephron loop. The vasa recta do not contain sympathetic or parasympathetic postganglionic fibers, nor do they contain the afferent and efferent arterioles; these structures are located elsewhere in the kidney. The vasa recta also do not surround the entire renal tubule; they only parallel the nephron loop in the renal medulla.

Define the Vasa Recta