Nephroimmunopathology and pathophysiology.

Abstract

Immunologic models of renal injury are useful in the study of pathophysiology. Some of these models have already been used in glomerular micropuncture studies and were shown to be approachable with the same techniques that were developed to study normal renal function. The typical decrease in the glomerular permeability coefficient found in such studies is countered by an increase in the hydrostatic pressure gradient, minimizing decreases in single nephron filtration rate. Antibody mechanisms involving either direct glomerular (and tubular) fixation of antibody or accumulation of immune complex materials provide an array of acute and chronic lesions for evaluation with relevance to the bulk of immune glomerular and tubular lesions in humans. The influences of varied and overlapping immune mediator systems are also useful areas for physiologic assessment. The tools of the renal immunopathologist may be useful to the physiologist in identifying and localizing the effects of transport systems central to renal function. The collaborative interaction of investigators skilled in immunology, pathology, and physiology is necessary to achieve optimum scientific value.