Abstract
Comparative study of the normal glomerulus by the specific silver impregnation method and with electron microscope were performed.
1) The basement membrane, having thickness of 100 mμ, is a continuous layer which is related to the overlying epithelium. No fibrillar structure were found in it.
2) There is no basement membrane between the “mesangium” and the capillary lumina. This finding was confirmed both by specific silver impregnation method and with electron microscope.
3) Points requiring some further study about the mesangium.
4) The epithelial layer, which is a cytoplasmic film of the epithelial cell overlying the basement membrane, is demonstrated as the “process-like structure” in section. The author also discussed about the three dimentional structure of this layer.
5) The endothelial cell and endothelial layer were observed inner side of the basement membrane. The endothelial layer might have the interruption in physiological condition. Thus, the endothelial layer is assumed to be a fenestrated thin film of the cytoplasm of the epithelial cell.
6) Nomenclature of the fine structure of the normal glomerulus was given.
