Glomerular Disease Pathology

Question 1

Where does blood enter the glomerulus and what is filtered?

Answer 1

Afferent arteriole
Blood filtered over glomerular membrane (all proteins larger or equal to albumin are not filtered including immunoglobulins)

Question 2

What are podocytes?

Answer 2

On outside of glomerulus
Have fingers or foot like processes

Question 3

What does the filter barrier of the glomerulus consist of?

Answer 3

Endothelial cell cytoplasm
Basal lamina (connective tissue)
Podocyte

Question 4

What are mesangial cells?

Answer 4

Tree like group of cells which support capillaries

Question 5

Where does filtrate go?

Answer 5

Into Bowman’s space then into proximal tubule

Question 6

What does the efferent arteriole contain?

Answer 6

Plasma including unfiltered proteins such as albumin and antibodies

Question 7

What is glomerulonephritis?

Answer 7

Disease of the glomerulus
Can be inflammatory or non-inflammatory
Large range of conditions

Question 8

What is the aetiology of glomerulonephritis?

Answer 8

Some are due to immunoglobulin deposition
Some are diseases with no Ig deposition like diabetic glomerular disease

Question 9

What are the 4 common presentations of glomerulonephritis?

Answer 9

Haematuria - blood in urine
Heavy proteinuria (nephrotic syndrome)
Slowly increasing proteinuria
Acute renal failure

Question 10

What are the main causes for haematuria?

Answer 10

UTI
Urinary tract stone
Urinary tract tumour
Glomerulonephritis