Diabetic Nephropathy
Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetes mellitus is caused by either insufficient production of insulin or unresponsiveness of the tissues to insulin. The result is the accumulation of glucose in the blood. The kidney is often affected in diabetes. In this slide, note the thickening of the mesangial basement membrane and matrix. Though not seen in this slide, direct injury to podocytes and slit membranes also occurs in a diabetic kidney.