Circulating (CD3⁻CD19⁺CD20⁻IgD⁻CD27^highCD38^high) Plasmablasts: A Promising Cellular Biomarker for Immune Activity for Anti-PLA2R1 Related Membranous Nephropathy?

Figure 1

Representative pictures of histopathological analysis performed on formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded kidney tissue section obtained from a first (a-b) and a second kidney punction-biopsy (c-d) performed in patient with membranous nephropathy. (a) Haematoxylin eosin, Jone’s silver (b), and Masson Trichrome (c-d) standard stainings. (a) Absence of tubulointerstitial involvement and (b) marked thickening of glomerular basement membrane with stubby spikes-like projections corresponding to stage 2 of membranous nephropathy. (c) Tubular atrophy (tubular dilatation and flattening of epithelium), sparse interstitial inflammation, and fibrosis. (d) Marked thickening of glomerular basement membrane with double contours. Original magnifications: (a) ×40, (b) ×1000 (kindly provided by Dr. Selda Aydin, Pathology Department, St. Luc Hospital, UCL, Brussels, Belgium), (c) ×40, and (d) ×400 (kindly provided by Dr. Michel Depierreux, Pathology Department, Erasme Hospital, CUB, ULB, Brussels, Belgium).

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