Electron microscopic demonstration of meshwork structure in human and bovine glomerular basement membranes.

With the electron microscopic and the negative staining method, the glomerular basement membrane of human and bovine kidneys was shown to have a definite fine meshwork structure. The pores of the meshwork of bovine glomerular basement membrane appeared to be pentagonal or hexagonal in shape. Strands of the meshwork branched three-dimensionally and made up the whole basement membrane. The portion of the sgrand between two neighboring branches was presumed to be a structural unit of the basement membrane. Glomerular basement membrane in man showed a structure similar to that seen in cattle, although the pore size of the meshwork was smaller in man than in cattle.