THE GLOMERULUS IN EXPERIMENTAL RENAL DISEASE IN RATS AS OBSERVED BY LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

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Abstract
Potent doses of nephrotoxic rabbit serum produce in rats a disease with immediate onset of clinical signs and symptoms. Light microscopy revealed polymorpho-nuclear leuckocytic infiltration of the glomerular capillaries between the 3rd to the 6th hours accompanied by swelling of the endothelial cells. By 72 hours the characteristic lesion, thickening of the glomerular capillary wall, became prominent. Glomerular capillary thrombosis occurred in 50% of the material examined in the first two weeks of disease. Electron microscopy revealed changes in the outer of the 3 layers of the glomerular capillaries by 1 hour after injection of the nephrotoxic serum. As early as 6 hours thickening of the basement membrane became prominent. Platelets were seen in the glomerular capillaries at 3 hours. The significance of these findings is discussed.