Vol. 9, Special Issue 7, Part B (2025)

This study explored the ultrastructural changes in the renal corpuscle (RC) of postnatal porcine kidneys using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Conducted at the Department of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary Science, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, the research utilized 18 pairs of fresh kidney samples from local slaughterhouses, categorized into three age groups: Group I (0-4 weeks), Group II (4-10 weeks), and Group III (>10 weeks). The glomerular filtration barrier (GFB) consists of glomerular endothelium, the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), and podocytes. In Group I, the GBM appeared as a dual-layered structure with distinct endothelial and epithelial lamina densa. In Groups II and III, these layers merged into a single GBM, shared by endothelial cells internally and podocytes externally. Filtration slits between podocyte foot processes were connected by slit diaphragms. The endothelial layer exhibited limited fenestrations in Group I, which increased in number with age. These fenestrations interfaced with the mesangium, supporting the GFB’s structural integrity.