A biomechanical interpretation of presence of "muscle-specific" immunoreactivity in human glomeruli

A semiquantitative and quantitative evaluations of "muscle-specific" actin immunoreactivity have been performed on human renal biopsies obtained from controls and patients with primary glomerular disorders. Expression of contractile microfilaments revealed immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally in glomerular cells differed in chosen forms of glomerulopathies. Controls had a very low glomerular and mild interstitial actin expression, but glomerulopathies significantly increased glomerular (mainly mesangial) and interstitial (mainly in fibrotic areas) immunoreactivity. The strongest variations in glomerular actin expression were revealed in cases of IgA nephropathy.