Relationship between proteinuria and epithelial cell changes in minimal lesion glomerulopathy.

The degree of fusion of glomerular epithelial cell foot processes was quantitated by determining the mean number of inter-process slip pores along 10 mum of basement membrane of peripheral capillary walls in 45 children with steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome and minimal lesion glomerulopathy. Fusion was present in all biopsies performed when the child had proteinuria, but after remission the number of slit pores increased progressively towards normal over the next 4 weeks. There was a close correlation between the degree of fusion and the amount of proteinuria in those biopsied before remission.