straight tubule

The cells of the macula densa are taller and have more prominent nuclei than surrounding cells of the distal straight tubule (cortical thick ascending limb).

The thick ascending limb of loop of Henle (TAL) also known as distal straight tubule, is a segment of the nephron in the kidney.

It begins in the cortex, receiving filtrate from the proximal straight tubule, extends into the medulla as the descending limb, and then returns to the cortex as the ascending limb to empty into the distal convoluted tubule.