A Model of Glomerular Mesangial Transport in Health and Disease

Transport in the kidney is critically important in normal function and in disease. Solute transport occurs in many locations within the kidney, including convection within the capillaries, filtration across the basement membrane, and convection/diffusion within the mesangium (Figure 1). Models of transport in the kidney have traditionally focused on ultrafiltration [1], which is the predominant pathway for fluid and solutes passing into the urinary space. However, the mesangium is often the site of the first symptoms in disease [2], suggesting that mesangial transport is significant, at least in some cases.