Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis historical perspective

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:

The term membranous glomerulonephritis was used first by Bell in 1946 to describe a category of glomerular renal disease classified within the spectrum of Ellis type II glomerulonephritis. This category also included lipoid nephrosis, lobular glomerulonephritis, and chronic glomerulonephritis. In 1957, David Jones, a renal pathologist from Syracuse University in New York, separated membranous glomerulonephritis as a distinct morphologic entity. Jones fully illustrated the special features of this lesion such as lobular glomerulonephritis, lipoid nephrosis and chronic glomerulonephritis. Thickening of the capillary wall and alteration in basement membrane structure were described. Electron-dense subepithelial locations were identified by Movat and McGregor in 1959 using electron microscopic methods. Mellors  in 1957 identified the unique lesion of membranous glomerulonephritis, the presence of immunoglobulin in the deposits, using the immunofluorescence technique. Thus, over the span of just 2 years, the triad of essential features of membranous glomerulonephritis were described. These are still the fundamental features used today to identify membranous glomerulonephritis, now called membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis MPGN.

• In 1946, Bell coined the term membranous glomerulonephritis. ^[1]

• In 1957, David Jones, a renal pathologist from Syracuse University in New York, described membranous glomerulonephritis as a distinct morphologic entity.
• Prof. Jones was the first to illustrate complete features of MPGN which include:
  • Lobular glomerulonephritis
  • Lipoid nephrosis
  • Chronic glomerulonephritis
• He also described the characteristic thickening of the capillary wall and alteration in basement membrane structure.

• In 1959, Movat and McGregor identified electron-dense subepithelial deposits using electron microscope.
• In 1957, Mellors was the first to identify immunoglobulin deposits as the third component of membranous glomerulonephritis and later described the triad of MPGN.

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