A morphologic study of canine glomerulonephritis
Murray, M.; Wright, N.C.
Laboratory Investigation; A Journal of Technical Methods and Pathology 30(2): 213-221
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0023-6837 PMID: 4591680 Document Number: 71584
A morphological study of 42 cases of canine glomerulonephritis was carried out using conventional light microscopy and, in many instances, electron microscopy and immunofluorescence. The major morphological type encountered was proliferative glomerulonephritis (37 cases). This was characterized by proliferation of mesangial cells with, in some cases, exudation of fibrinoid material into Bowman's space and parietal epithelial proliferation. Six cases also showed features resembling mesangio-capillary glomerulonephritis of man. The second, less frequent, morphological type was membranous nephropathy, which was found in five cases. This showed diffuse, irregular thickening of the glomerular basement membrane and reduction in glomerular cellularity. Immunofluorescence patterns, although not studied in every case, were similar in both types, with granular deposits of IgG and C3 in the capillary loops and mesangial areas. One case of proliferative glomerulonephritis, however, showed linear deposition of both IgG and C3 on the capillary walls. Biochemical studies revealed proteinuria and elevation of blood urea in both morphological types. A range of major extrarenal lesions was encountered in just over 70% of the cases studied; by far the most common of these was malignant neoplasia.