Classification and pathogenesis of animal glomerulopathies
Trautwein, G.; Müller-Peddinghaus, R.
Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift 85(6): 205-212
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0341-6593 PMID: 350540 Document Number: 126914
Glomerulopathies of animals may occur as inflammatory and non-inflammatory glomerular lesions. On the basis of characteristic morphological criteria the diffuse glomerulonephritis (GN) is classified as follows: exudative GN, proliferative GN occurring as mesangio-proliferative, intra- and extracapillary proliferative, and membranoproliferative GN; mesangio-sclerosing GN; membranous GN. Non-inflammatory glomerulopathies are amyloid nephrosis, diabetic glomerulosclerosis, and canine glomerular lipoidosis. In the majority of spontaneous glomerulopathies aetiology and pathogenesis are uncertain. Finally, the possibilities of immunopathogenesis are discussed. It is emphasized that, based on the characteristic immunofluorescence findings, the deposition of circulating immune complexes in glomeruli seems to be the most important pathogenetic factor.