Objectives

The research workof the project is focused on an advanced study of immune glomerulonephritis in dogs. Investigations will be performed on humanely euthanised dogs (chronic, cahectic disease, tumours, old age with severe alteration of the vital functions, etc) and on dogs with different pathological states (clinical signs of renal failure).

Histopathological examination will be completed with cytological, electrone microscope exams and immunohistochemical investigations. the results corroborated will explain the etiopathogenetic mechanisms of the immune nephritis. The mechanism of the apparition of immune glomerulonephritis can be divided in two cathegories, glomerulonephritis produced by immune complexes stored in the glomerules and glomerulonephritis caused by antibodies anti-basal membranes.

Inflammatory responses triggered by the storeage of circulating immune complexes or by their in situ production is endless, and affects the basal membrane of the glommerules and their permeability.

Immunohistochemical examination with specific or unspecific marked antibodies will identify the subendothelial deposits on the glommerular basal membranes of the Ig A, Ig G, Ig M, C1Q, C4, C3 (nefrotic factor-C3NeF) or of the attack membranar complexes C5B-C9.

We also intend to identify and morphologically classify immune glomerulonephritis in dogs, to establish identification and classification of the morphological types of glomerulopathies, their evaluation in order to assess a diagnosis and a prognosis in a general disease.