[Renal biopsy: methods].

Due to its structure, the glomerular capillary has a filtration function since it is interposed between the blood stream and the urinary space exposed to circulating plasma proteins, which are likely to form a deposit. The role of renal biopsy is to diagnose glomerulonephritis and systemic autoimmune diseases, on the basis of two samples: one for light microscopy and the other for immunofluorescence (IF). Electron microscopy has specific indications.

[Renal biopsy: procedures, contraindications, complications].

Renal biopsy plays a central role in the investigational approach of the nephrologist. The technique has significantly improved over the past two decades as a result of the introduction of ultrasonography and automated-gun biopsy devices. Percutaneous renal biopsy has become a relatively safe procedure with life-threatening complications occurring in less than 0.

Parietal podocytes in normal human glomeruli.

Although parietal podocytes along the Bowman's capsule have been described by electron microscopy in the normal human kidney, their molecular composition remains unknown. Ten human normal kidneys that were removed for cancer were assessed for the presence and the extent of parietal podocytes along the Bowman's capsule. The expression of podocyte-specific proteins (podocalyxin, glomerular epithelial protein-1, podocin, nephrin, synaptopodin, and alpha-actinin-4), podocyte synthesized proteins (vascular endothelial growth factor and novH), transcription factors (WT1 and PAX2), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57, and intermediate filaments (cytokeratins and vimentin) was tested.

Morphometric evidence for impairment of renal autoregulation in advanced essential hypertension.

A morphometric study was performed on 22 renal biopsies from hypertensive patients with proteinuria and/or azotemia, with no evidence of other renal disease. These results were compared with our earlier study of normotensive aging kidneys. Afferent arterioles in hypertensive kidneys showed a significant increase in lumen diameter (15.