Thelansis

  Membranous nephropathy (MN), also known as membranous glomerulonephritis, is a chronic glomerular disease characterized by specific morphological features observed through light, immunofluorescence (IF), and electron microscopy (EM) analysis of renal tissue. These features include thickening the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and GBM spikes. Immunostaining reveals granular deposits of IgG and complement along the periphery of glomerular capillary loops, while electron microscopy shows electron-dense subepithelial deposits corresponding to the observed granular IgG staining. MN can be classified into idiopathic or primary MN (IMN or PMN) when secondary factors cannot be identified. IMN, the primary form of MN, is believed to be mediated by IgG antibodies that target podocytes, with IgG4 being the predominant subclass. Several podocyte auto-antigens have been identified in adult IMN, including the M-type receptor for secretory phospholipase A2 (PLA2R1), thrombospondin type-1 ...