True about Heyman rat glomerulonephritis ?

Ans. is 'a' i.e., Heymann antigen is called megalino The Heyman model of rat glomerulonephritis is glomerulonephritis due to deposition of nonglomerular basementmembrane, autologous antibody.o It is induced by immunizing rat with an antigen containing preparation of proximal tubular brush border.o The rats develop antibodies to this antigen and a membranous glomerulopathy, resembling human membranous glomerulopathy. The antigen is called megalin and homology to LDL receptor.o On electron microscopy, the glomerulopathy is characterized by presence of numerous electron dense depositsalong the subepithelial aspect of basement membrane. Immunothiorenscence microscopy shows granular deposit. o This disease results largely from the reaction of antibody with an antigen complex located basal surface of visceralepithelium and cross-reacting with the brush border antigen used in experiments.o The antibody binding to the glomerular epithelial cell membrane is followed by complement activation and subepithelial deposit.