Fibrillar crystal structure in essential monoclonal IgM kappa cryoglobulinemia

Clin Nephrol. 1998 May;49(5):325-7.

Abstract

In monoclonal IgG cryoglobulinemia, two types of crystallization have been demonstrated with electron microscopy at high magnification. In contrast, little information is available on well-defined crystallization in cases of monoclonal IgM cryoglobulinemia. We present a case of pure monoclonal IgM kappa cryoglobulinemia and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis occurring in a 75-year-old woman. We detected unequivocal formation of fibrillar crystal structure within intraglomerular macrophages on electron microscopy: the structure accords with that in a case of monoclonal IgG cyroglobulinemia described in the literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cryoglobulinemia / pathology*
  • Crystallization
  • Female
  • Glomerulonephritis / complications
  • Glomerulonephritis / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin M / analysis*
  • Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / analysis*
  • Kidney Glomerulus / ultrastructure
  • Macrophages / ultrastructure

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains