part of part of connected to connected to system renal efferent arteriole vasa recta vasa recta of kidney vasa rectae A group of microvessels that are part of the kidney. A vasa recta has a hairpin-like shape, entering the renal medulla as the straight arterioles and surrounds the loop of Henle, forming a capillary network. Finally it leaves the renal medulla to ascend to the cortex as the straight venules. The primary function of the vasa recta is to facilitate countercurrent exchange, which is essential for the kidney's ability to concentrate urine EMAPA:30043 kidney vasa recta renal medullary capillary straight arterioles of kidney FMA:72006 Wikipedia:Vasa_recta MA:0002595 set of straight arterioles of kidney galen:ArteriaeRectae arteriolae recti UBERON:0004726 kidney vasculature