Biomaterial Database

The glomerular basement membrane abnormality in Alport's syndrome. 1987

J Bernstein

The characteristic electron microscopic abnormality in Alport's syndrome is thickening of the glomerular basement membrane with splitting and lamellation of the lamina densa. It is commonly accompanied by severe attenuation of the basement membrane and sometimes by disruption of capillary walls. The ultrastructural abnormality is secondary to a more basic defect in the chemical structure of the glomerular basement membrane. Clues to chemical abnormalities have come from immunochemical studies, which suggest a lack of or alteration in that part of the noncollagenous portion of type 4 collagen related to Goodpasture antigen. Variability in the results of immunochemical studies suggest biochemical heterogeneity that still needs to be correlated with the known evidence of genetic heterogeneity in Alport's syndrome.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007678	Kidney Glomerulus	A cluster of convoluted capillaries beginning at each nephric tubule in the kidney and held together by connective tissue.	Glomerulus, Kidney
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D009394	Nephritis, Hereditary	A group of inherited conditions characterized initially by HEMATURIA and slowly progressing to RENAL INSUFFICIENCY. The most common form is the Alport syndrome (hereditary nephritis with HEARING LOSS) which is caused by mutations in genes for TYPE IV COLLAGEN and defective GLOMERULAR BASEMENT MEMBRANE.	Alport's Syndrome,Nephritis, Familial,Alport Syndrome,Alport Syndrome, Autosomal Dominant,Alport Syndrome, Autosomal Recessive,Alport Syndrome, X-Linked,Congenital Hereditary Hematuria,Hematuria-Nephropathy-Deafness Syndrome,Hematuric Hereditary Nephritis,Hemorrhagic Familial Nephritis,Hemorrhagic Hereditary Nephritis,Hereditary Familial Congenital Hemorrhagic Nephritis,Hereditary Hematuria Syndrome,Hereditary Interstitial Pyelonephritis,Hereditary Nephritis,Alport Syndrome, X Linked,Familial Nephritis,Hematuria Nephropathy Deafness Syndrome,Hematuria, Congenital Hereditary,Nephritis, Hematuric Hereditary,Nephritis, Hemorrhagic Familial,Nephritis, Hemorrhagic Hereditary,Pyelonephritis, Hereditary Interstitial,Syndrome, Alport,Syndrome, Hematuria-Nephropathy-Deafness,X-Linked Alport Syndrome
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001323	Autoantibodies	Antibodies that react with self-antigens (AUTOANTIGENS) of the organism that produced them.	Autoantibody
D001485	Basement Membrane	A darkly stained mat-like EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX (ECM) that separates cell layers, such as EPITHELIUM from ENDOTHELIUM or a layer of CONNECTIVE TISSUE. The ECM layer that supports an overlying EPITHELIUM or ENDOTHELIUM is called basal lamina. Basement membrane (BM) can be formed by the fusion of either two adjacent basal laminae or a basal lamina with an adjacent reticular lamina of connective tissue. BM, composed mainly of TYPE IV COLLAGEN; glycoprotein LAMININ; and PROTEOGLYCAN, provides barriers as well as channels between interacting cell layers.	Basal Lamina,Basement Lamina,Lamina Densa,Lamina Lucida,Lamina Reticularis,Basement Membranes,Densas, Lamina,Lamina, Basal,Lamina, Basement,Lucida, Lamina,Membrane, Basement,Membranes, Basement,Reticularis, Lamina
D001706	Biopsy	Removal and pathologic examination of specimens from the living body.	Biopsies