Possible role of the proximal convoluted tubules of human kidney in chronic glomerulonephritis. A quantitative electron-microscopic study.

The amount of forming pinocytic (coated) microvesicles on the apical plasma membrane of kidney proximal tubule cells was assessed in kidney biopsies of 10 patients suffering from chronic glomerulonephritis. A significant correlation was found between the amount of these vesicles and diurnal proteinuria levels (r = 0.889; p less than 0.01). The possible mechanisms of protein reabsorption via pinocytosis in both normal and pathological conditions are considered.