In 1965, it was observed that patients with glomerulonephritis with persistently low serum concentrations of C3 evolved to have similar glomerular morphologic characteristics, particularly recognizable in biopsy specimens stained by the Jones methenamine silver technique [1]. Subsequent observations have indicated that although long-standing hypocomplementemia is commonly observed and is unique in patients with these glomerular morphologic characteristics, reduced C3 concentrations are not always present [2, 3] and the distinctive morphology is now the criterion for identification of the disease. Thus, the name first given, hypocomplementemic persistent (chronic) glomerulonephritis [1], is no longer appropriate and the descriptive terms membranoproliferative and mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis have subsequently been applied.
