Glomerular cell proliferation in human and experimental glomerulonephritis. Light- and electron-microscopical, and autoradiographic observations.
Three mitoses of endothelial glomerular cells have been observed by electron microscopy in 3 different nephropathies (a mixed membranous and proliferative glomerulonephritis, an intracapillary glomerulonephritis, and a mixed IgG-IgM cryoglobulinemia). Further light- and electron-microscopical and autoradiographic investigations on the occurrence and nature of the dividing cells responsible for glomerular hypercellularity in glomerulonephritis have been carried out in rats with an immunocomplex-induced glomerulonephritis. A statistically significant difference between treated and control animals have been found in the number of mitoses and DNA-synthesizing nuclei. All dividing glomerular cells observed by electron microscopy were endothelial. It is therefore proved that in glomerulonephritis an actual glomerular cell proliferation does occur; proliferating cells are suggested to be endothelial in nature.
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004727:Endothelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008938:Mitosis; D051381:Rats