Early Graft Loss after Kidney Transplantation: Endothelial Dysfunction of Renal Microvasculature

Figure 3

Ultrastructure of preimplantation kidney biopsy from deceased donor exposed to ECMO. (a) Tubular epithelial cells are attenuated but preserved showing intact desmosomes. Apical brush border is slightly attenuated, similar to all other deceased kidney biopsies. (b) Glomerular endothelial cells are partly detached from glomerular basement membrane, swollen and disintegrated. Swollen endothelial cell, extracellular debris, and numerous microvilli fill the lumen of glomerular capillaries. (c) Endothelial cells in peritubular capillary are swollen and the cytoplasmic membrane forms endothelial projections (microvilli). (d) Endothelial cells in small artery are completely detached and shrunken.

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