Effect of backleak in nephron dynamics.

The effect of transepithelial solute, i.e., sodium chloride, backleak is taken into consideration in the spatiotemporal evolution of the chloride concentration along the thick ascending limb of a single nephron. The importance of the mechanism and of its mathematical modeling is argued on physiological grounds. The backleak "strength" is found to significantly modify the threshold for the appearance of temporally oscillatory behavior in the chloride concentration in the thick ascending limb which has previously been experimentally observed in normotensive rats.