Final answer:
The statement provided is true; urine does drain from the distal convoluted tubules (DCT) into the collecting ducts in the nephron within the kidney.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "Urine from the distal convoluted tubules of several nephrons drains into a collecting duct." is true. In the nephron, the basic functional unit of the kidney, the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) is the segment of the nephron that follows the ascending loop of Henle and precedes the collecting duct. The DCT plays a critical role in the regulation of sodium, potassium, and pH levels. After the filtration process, which begins in the glomerulus enclosed by Bowman's capsule, the resulting filtrate passes through the proximal convoluted tubule, then through the loop of Henle, and finally enters the distal convoluted tubule. From the distal convoluted tubule, the now processed urine empties into the collecting ducts, which then conduct the urine through increasingly larger ducts towards the renal pelvis and eventually the ureter, transporting it to the bladder for excretion.
Therefore, it is important to note that the collecting duct does not empty into the distal convoluted tubule; rather, it is the DCT that drains into the collecting duct. This is the proper flow direction in the nephron structure, as urine formation progresses from the glomerulus to the collecting ducts.