Chapter 13 The kidneys and urinary tract/Fig 13.12.jpg

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Mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis, also known as membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, is characterized by a combination of hypercellularity and capillary wall thickening. (A) At the light microscopy level the hypercellularity is seen clearly with accentuation of the glomerular) lobular architecture and a reduction in the capillary luminal space. Thickening of the glomerular capillary wall is also evident. (B) Immunofluorescence staining in cases of mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis reveals the deposition of granules of immune complexes within capillary walls and within mesangial regions in most cases. In the example illustrated here the immunofluorescence reactivity demonstrates IgG deposition within the glomerulus. (C) Examination of cases of mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis by electron microscopy reveals different patterns of deposition. In one form there is electron-dense thickening of the glomerular basement membrane itself. This form is known as dense deposit disease. The presence of focal electron dense deposits in the subendothelial space as shown here is the much more common form.