LOCALIZATION OF IMMUNOGLOBULINS AND COMPLEMENT IN VARIOUS TYPES OF GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

抄録

This study was undertaken to reveal the correlation with immunoglobulins, complement and electron dense deposits seen by ordinary electron microscopy (EM), and to clarify whether the main site of deposition differs according to the type of immunoglobulins, using an immunoelectron microscopic (IEM) technique, with minor modification. Study cases consisted of 13 patients with various types of glomerulonephritis. Electron microscopic, and immunofluorescence (IF) examinations were performed by the standard methods. For IEM, glutaraldehyde-fixed kidney specimen was used.
In all cases, the localization of immunoglobulins and complement seen by IEM corresponded to electron dense deposits seen by ordinary EM. By IEM on various types of glomerulonephritis, the main site of deposition differed according to the type of immunoglobulins; IgG was found in all locations, while IgA and IgM were found mainly in subendothelial and mesangial areas.
In one case of membranous nephropathy and one case of IgA nephropathy, IgG was found to be outside of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), while IgA was seen to be inside the GBM. The method described in this study can be used for examination of both ordinary EM and IEM using the same kidney tissue. This is important to make strict correlation between immunopathologic and histopathologic findings.