Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2025
06:18
Imaging of Podocytic Proteins Nephrin, Actin, and Podocin with Expansion Microscopy
Published on: April 23, 2021
7.0K
[Electron microscopy in nephropathology].
1Institut für Pathologie, Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Deutschland. stefan.porubsky@unimedizin-mainz.de.
Pathologie (Heidelberg, Germany)
|December 8, 2022
Summary
Electron microscopy is crucial for diagnosing non-neoplastic kidney diseases when conventional histology is similar. Ultrastructural studies aid in precise classification for effective therapy and prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Pathology
- Electron Microscopy
Context:
- Non-neoplastic kidney diseases encompass a wide range of conditions.
- Histological findings can be similar despite differing pathogenetic mechanisms.
- Accurate classification is vital for treatment and prognosis.
Purpose:
- To highlight the indispensable role of electron microscopy in diagnosing non-neoplastic kidney diseases.
- To detail the specific diagnostic questions addressed by ultrastructural studies.
- To emphasize electron microscopy as part of routine nephropathology diagnostics.
Summary:
- Electron microscopy (EM) is essential for differentiating non-neoplastic kidney diseases with similar conventional morphology.
- EM addresses key diagnostic questions including podocyte alterations, glomerular basement membrane changes, immune complex localization, endothelial/capillary abnormalities, and tubular cell diseases.
- Ultrastructural investigation, alongside conventional microscopy and immunohistochemistry, forms the 'triple-diagnostics' in nephropathology.
Impact:
- Enables precise classification of kidney diseases, leading to targeted therapy.
- Improves prognostic accuracy by identifying specific ultrastructural changes.
- Establishes electron microscopy as a critical component of modern nephropathological diagnosis.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Cryo-electron Microscopy
3.4K
Conventional electron microscopy (EM) involves dehydration, fixation, and staining of biological samples, which distorts the native state of biological molecules and results in several artifacts. Also, the high-energy electron beam damages the sample and makes it difficult to obtain high-resolution images. These issues can be addressed using cryo-EM, which uses frozen samples and gentler electron beams. The technique was developed by Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson, for...
3.4K
01:10Nephrons
3.2K
The kidneys are intricate organs with millions of working units known as nephrons. Each nephron features two major structures: the renal corpuscle, which facilitates blood plasma filtration, and the renal tubule, which handles the glomerular filtrate. Blood supply is directly linked to the nephrons. The renal corpuscle consists of the glomerulus, a capillary network, and the Bowman's capsule, a double-walled epithelial structure that encases the glomerulus. The filtering of blood plasma...
3.2K
01:20Immunogold Electron Microscopy
4.1K
Immunoelectron microscopy utilizes immunogold labeling of endogenous proteins with specific antibodies to detect and localize these proteins in cells and tissues. The procedure provides insights into the distribution and quantification of protein under different stimulation conditions offering clues about their functions. Conjugating highly electron-dense gold particles with primary or secondary antibodies allow antigen detection on and within cells, with high resolution and specificity.
4.1K
01:25Overview of Electron Microscopy
9.4K
The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.
9.4K
01:20Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy
5.6K
To be visualized by an electron microscope, either transmission or scanning, biological samples need to be fixed (stabilized) so the electron beam does not destroy them and dried thoroughly (desiccated/dehydrated) so the vacuum does not affect them. Fixation needs to be done as quickly as possible because the sample properties will start changing as soon as it is removed from its natural environment. For example, in a tissue sample, the oxygen levels begin decreasing, causing an altered...
5.6K
01:22Overview of Microscopy Techniques
10.7K
The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...
10.7K