Kidney Biopsies

Percutaneous needle biopsies have enabled the investigation of glomeruli for specific patterns of injury that can be correlated to clinical syndromes (Rubin and Farber 1988).

All kidney biopsies are processed for EM. Every sample is investigated by LM from 0.5 µm sections stained with methylene blue. Suitable areas with glomeruli are selected for further sectioning for EM. Diseases such as renal amyloidosis (amyloid deposits in mesangial areas which eventually obliterate the foot processes in the basement membrane) and thin membrane disease (reduced thickness of the glomerular capillary basement membrane) are identified by EM which plays a major role in renal disease diagnosis.

Electronmicrographs of kidney-related biopsies

Thin membrane	Lupus	Amyloid
Cardiac amyloid	Abdominal fat	Cadasil