Fine structural appearances of glomerular capillaries in a case of malignant hypertension.

The fine structural features of the glomerular capillary wall in a human case of malignant hypertension are described. The capillaries in glomeruli unaffected by ischaemic necrosis show a constant abnormality consisting of an accumulation of heterogeneous material between the endothelium and basement membrane. This produces very considerable narrowing of the capillary lumen, an appearance which has been described only once before (Robson, Martin, Ruckley, and MacDonald, 1968) in four cases of postpartum renal failure.