Final answer:
Cortical nephrons have short loops of Henle that barely extend into the medulla, while juxtamedullary nephrons have longer loops extending deep into the medulla.
Step-by-step explanation:
Types of Nephrons . The type of nephron with relatively short nephron loops that barely extend into the medulla is known as cortical nephrons. Cortical nephrons have their renal corpuscles located in the renal cortex and their loops of Henle do not penetrate deeply into the renal medulla. In contrast, juxtamedullary nephrons are characterized by their renal corpuscles situated close to the cortex-medulla junction, and they possess longer loops of Henle that extend deep into the medulla, playing a crucial role in the concentration of urine.
The loop of Henle in cortical nephrons is crucial for the reabsorption of water and ions, including Na+ and Cl-. It also contributes to the osmolarity changes in the forming urine as it moves through the loop, with the filtrate becoming hypoosmotic as it ascends due to active transport of ions and the absence of water reabsorption in the thick ascending limb.