Matyas JR, Rattner JB, Benediktsson H
Enhanced glomerular retrieval for renal biopsies
Am J Kidney Dis
(Jun) 27:834-843 1996

A substantial number of glomeruli obtained in a percutaneous renal biopsy,
up to 55%, are loose on the surface of the biopsy core and usually lost in
processing. This fascinating article describes means of recovering these
additional glomeruli which are sometimes better preserved than those that
remain in the core proper! Immobilizing the "lost" glomeruli on membrane
substrates provides material very suitable for further study by light,
electron microscopy, or immunofluorescence microscopy. These newly
described techniques maximize the number of glomeruli obtained at biopsy
and also make available additional material for diagnostic and
physiological studies, and archiving. Figure 1, showing the glomeruli
present on the surface of a biopsy core, will change our whole concept of
what occurs during a renal biopsy procedure.
(Kim Solez, M.D., University of Alberta, Canada)