Ultra-Structural Analysis (Transmission Electron Microscopy) of GBM from Control and MMP-Inhibitor–Treated Mice

<div><p>(A) Control C57Bl/6 mice at 14 wk of age. The 5-wk-old normal mice also exhibited normal GBM architecture (unpublished data).</p> <p>(B) Kidneys from 5-wk-old <i>α3(IV)^−/−</i> mice before the onset of proteinuria, displaying the beginning of splitting of the GBM and podocyte effacement (arrow). </p> <p>(C). Kidneys from <i>α3(IV)^−/−</i> mice at 14 wk of age, which were treated from 5 wk of age with MMP-inhibitors for 9 wk, displayed moderate GBM-splitting and podocyte effacement (arrows). </p> <p>(D) Kidneys from 12-wk-old <i>α3(IV)^−/−</i> mice without treatment showed severe lesions of the GBM associated with podocyte effacement (arrows). Original magnification: ×12,250. </p>