TUBULORETICULAR STRUCTURE AND CYLINDRICAL CONFRONTING CISTERNAE IN LUPUS NEPHRITIS

Objective. To investigate the pathological significance of tubuloreticular structure(TRS) and cyhndricol confronting cisternae(CCC) in patients with lupus nephritis. Methods. An electron microscopical study of 24 renal biopsy specimens from patients with lupus nephritis was carried out, with particular emphasis on two endoplasmie reticulum(ER)-related structures. Result. TRS was found in 18 cases, and CCC in 10 of them. TRS often oppeared in the capillary endothelium, and did not correlate well with the activity index of lupus nephritis, CCC appeared frequently in monoeyte/macrophage and lymphocyte, and correlated well with hoth the activity index nod the amount of interstitial immune deposits. Conclusion. TRS and CCC derived from inward "budding" of ER membrane were suggested and the morphogenesis and morphologic variations of CCC were discussed. Both TRS and CCC are pathognomonic,though not specific changes. They may be helpful in pathologic diagnosis of lupus nephritis, when properly combined with certain clinical and pathological features.