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Diabetes insipidus

(Science: disease, endocrinology) rare form of diabetes in which the kidney tubules do not reabsorb sufficient water. This can be because (a) either the renal tubules have defective receptors for antidiuretic hormone (adh, vasopressin) or (b) a class of aquaporin water channel in the collecting duct is defective or (c) there is inadequate adh production by the pituitary, leading to the excessive production of dilute urine.