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Quantitative glomerular morphology of the normal human kidney.
Summary
Glomerular basement membrane (GBM) width is greater in males and increases with age until the fourth decade. Mesangial volume, unaffected by sex or age, provides normative data for kidney development and disease assessment.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Human Anatomy
- Histology
Background:
- The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and mesangium are critical kidney components.
- Understanding their normative dimensions is essential for diagnosing kidney diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine glomerular basement membrane (GBM) width and mesangial volume in kidney donors.
- To establish normative values for GBM and mesangium for clinical comparison.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative histological analysis of kidney biopsy samples from 118 living donors.
- Measurement of GBM width (harmonic mean) and relative mesangial volumes (cellular and matrix).
Main Results:
- Male donors had wider GBMs (373 nm) than female donors (326 nm).
- GBM width increased with age until the fourth decade, then decreased.
- Mesangial volume (14.2%) and its components (cellular 7.1%, matrix 7.1%) showed no significant differences by sex or age.
- No differences were observed between diabetic and non-diabetic donors, or between living-related and cadaveric donors.
Conclusions:
- GBM width is sexually dimorphic and age-dependent.
- Mesangial volume is consistent across sexes and ages.
- Established normative values aid in evaluating kidney biopsy specimens.