THE NATURE OF BASAL LAMINA ALTERATIONS IN HUMAN DIABETIC GLOMERULOSCLEROSIS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 100  (1) , 225-+
Abstract
Studies of human diabetic glomerulosclerosis with a newly developed guanidine method revealed that, like renal tubules, thickening of the glomerular capillary basal lamina is due exclusively to inordinate accumulation of the epithelial basal lamina. There is no excessive deposition of the endothelial basal lamina. Diabetic nephropathy is characterized by a diffuse thickening of the epithelial basal lamina involving the entire nephron unit, a feature distinct from peripheral diabetic microangiopathy, where the endothelial basal lamina plays a predominant role. The nodular and diffuse mesangial sclerosis is composed of increased mesangial basal lamina, and there is no evidence indicating collapsed capillary epithelial basal lamina within Kimmelstiel-Wilson nodules. Hitherto undescribed alterations in the juxtamesangial epithelial basal lamina suggesting new glomerular capillary tuft formation are also presented.