Podocyte penetration of the glomerular basement membrane to contact on the mesangial cell at the lesion of mesangial interposition in lupus nephritis: a three-dimensional analysis by serial block-face scanning electron microscopy.

Although this is a single-case observational study, SBF-SEM revealed a unique 3D configuration, suggesting a novel mechanism of direct intercellular cross-communication between podocytes and mesangial cells, aside from the presumed paracrine communication.