Glomerular structural quantities in baseline biopsies from cadaveric donor kidney pairs

Glomerular structural parameters were estimated in kidney biopsies from 11 cadaveric donors at the time of transplantation. The main purpose was to compare the biopsies from the right and left kidney from each donor. Mean glomerular volume was determined by light microscopy. The ultrastructural parameters were basement membrane thickness and volume fractions of mesangial regions with either the tuft or total glomerulus, (i.e. the tuft plus the urinary space in between the capillaries) as reference spaces. Further, the mesangial composition was determined as the volume fraction of basement membrane-like material to total mesangial regions (Vv(BMLM/mes]. The structural quantities conformed with those obtained in living kidney donors. The coefficient of variation (CV) for the group of 11 cases was highest for the mean glomerular volume (0.26) and lowest for the Vv(BMLM/mes) (0.10). The coefficient of error (CE) of the two independent determinations of structural parameters in each individual was well below 5%. The findings therefore demonstrate that, with the methods used, a renal biopsy gives valid and reliable information for that particular individual - at least in cases with 'normal' structures.