Apolipoprotein E is enriched in dense deposits and is a marker for dense deposit disease in C3 glomerulopathy

Dense deposit disease doesn't usually make news. It is a rare and dangerous glomerulonephritis. Last we heard about it was when it lost its perch at MPGN type II nad was recast as one of a pair of C3 glomerulopathies, along side of C3 glomerulonephriotis. 

But dense deposit disease is back in the news because the identitiy of those dense deposits has finally been discovered. It is apolipoprotein E. This was discovered by using laser capture microdissection along with confocal microscopy. Another nephrology mystery solved.