Leukocytes in the glomerular capillary lumen in Masugi nephritis. A scanning electron microscopic study of freeze-cracked specimens.

Masugi nephritis was induced in rats by a single intravenous injection of rabbit anti-rat kidney serum, and studied with a scanning electron microscope. A characteristic finding was the presence of white cells, probably polymorphonuclear leukocytes, with many microspikes which penetrated through degenerated glomerular endothelial cells to be in direct contact with the glomerular basement membrane. This finding confirms the pathogenic role of leukocytes in glomerulonephritis induced by anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody.