Studies on the 'linear pattern' in renal glomeruli demonstrated with immunofluorescence.

We have experimentally induced the 'linear pattern' in immunofluorescence: the linear deposition of endogenous immunoglobulin (Ig) along the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) in rats injected with both protamine and nephrotoxic serum. This Ig was demonstrated to have no specific antibody activity against GBM or rabbit serum. Our findings could be of value in the analysis of the mechanism and pathological meaning of the 'linear pattern' of endogenous Ig in immunofluorescence.