Veterinary Clinical Medicine-I (General and Systemic)

MECHANISM

• Soluble, circulating antigen–antibody complexes may be deposited or trapped in the glomerulus. Alternatively, immune complexes can be formed in situ within the glomerular capillary wall when circulating antibodies react with “planted” antigens there.
• Following the formation or deposition of glomerular immune complexes, several factors, including activation of the complement system, infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages, platelet aggregation, activation of the coagulation system, and fibrin deposition, can contribute to glomerular damage.
• The glomerulus responds to these various insults by cellular proliferation (proliferative glomerulonephritis), thickening of the glomerular basement membrane (membranous glomerulonephritis), and, if the injury persists, hyalinization and sclerosis that can lead to chronic renal insufficiency and failure.