Fig 1. Dense deposit disease is also called membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type 2 based on the similar light microscopic findings in the two conditions. Mesangial proliferation, double countours of the glomerular basement membrane, and mesangial interposition are evident in this figure. No obvious deposits, which typically appear pink on this PAS-methenamine silver stain, are visualized. The refractile, ribbon-like appearance of the basement membrane is a clue to the correct diagnosis of dense deposit disease, which is confirmed by immunoflurorescence and electron microscopy (Jones' silver stain; original magnification, x400).