Podocyte cell cycle regulation and proliferation in collapsing glomerulopathies.

Background: Mature podocytes are growth-arrested because of the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. Under pathological conditions, podocytes may undergo mitosis, but not cell division. Exceptions to this rule are collapsing glomerulopathies (CGs), including HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) and idiopathic CG, where podocytes undergo a dysregulation of their differentiated phenotype and proliferate.

Fibrous long-spacing collagen in bacillary angiomatosis.

Fibrous long-spacing (FLS) collagen is a distinct ultrastructural form of collagen present in normal tissue, various tumors, and tissues degraded by bacterial collagenases in vivo and in vitro. An association between FLS collagen and bacillary angiomatosis has not been previously described. Six cases of bacillary angiomatosis, including one autopsy case with disseminated disease, were examined ultrastructurally.

Recurrent crescentic membranous nephropathy in two successive renal transplants: association with choroidal effusions and retinal detachment.

We report the case of a 50-year-old man in whom crescentic membranous nephropathy recurred in two successive renal transplants leading rapidly to renal failure. Deterioration of renal function was associated with choroidal effusions and retinal detachments. Multiple serologic tests were negative.

Analysis of adhesion molecule expression by tubular epithelial cells using urine immunocytology.

On their surface, renal tubular cells present intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) during acute renal allograft rejection. We propose that the extent of ICAM-1 expression by renal tubular cells can be estimated from urine immunocytology. To test this hypothesis, we obtained 52 samples of urine from 31 renal transplant recipients with either acute tubular necrosis, rejection or stable renal function.