Figure 4
Light micrographs show focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis in the juxtamedullary region of older QLα12LacZ+/Cre+ mice. Representative light micrographs of murine juxtamedullary kidney cortex in control (top row) and QLα12LacZ+/Cre+ (bottom row) mice aged 4.5, 13 and 24 months are shown. (a, e) Kidneys of mice aged <6 months, regardless of genotype, show no significant pathological changes in glomeruli, tubulointerstitium or vasculature. (b, f) Kidney of QLα12LacZ+/Cre+ mice (f) aged 12–18 months exhibit focal glomerulosclerosis involving juxtamedullary glomerulus (arrow). The parenchyma is otherwise well preserved. Age-matched controls (b) show no significant pathological changes. (c, d, g, h) Kidneys of QLα12LacZ+/Cre+ mice aged >18 months show focal global (g) and segmental (h) glomerulosclerosis involving multiple juxtamedullary glomeruli (arrows), accompanied by focal interstitial mononuclear inflammation. The non-lesional glomeruli (h; arrowhead) exhibit moderate mesangial expansion by matrix and cells (*). Age-matched controls (c, d) show mild mesangial expansion, but no other cortical parenchymal lesions are apparent. PAS; bar=100 μm (left 3 columns) and 50 μm (right column).
