The distal convoluted tubule is the short coiled segment that follows the loop of Henle back in the cortex. It touches its own glomerulus, where specialised cells form the macula densa. It fine-tunes salt and calcium reabsorption under hormonal control.
| Location | Renal cortex, between the thick ascending limb and the connecting tubule |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Blood Supply | Peritubular capillaries |
| Venous drainage |
|
Reabsorbs sodium, chloride and calcium in a regulated way and, through the macula densa, helps control glomerular filtration and renin release.
Thiazide diuretics block the sodium-chloride transporter here, lowering blood pressure and reducing urinary calcium, which helps prevent some calcium stones. Parathyroid hormone increases calcium reabsorption in this segment. Inherited loss of the thiazide-sensitive transporter causes Gitelman syndrome.
An inherited defect of the distal tubule salt transporter causing low potassium and low magnesium.
Low blood sodium, a recognised side effect of thiazide diuretics acting on this segment, especially in older adults.
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