The crescent formation is characteristic of the following glomerular disease -
Regardless of the cause, the classical histological picture of RPGN is characterized by the presence of crescents in most of the glomeruli.
So, RPGN is also known as crescentic glomerulonephritis.


Crescent formation

Despite the wide variety of diseases that causes RPGN, all types of RPGN are characterized by glomerular injury and the formation of crescents.
Severe injury and GBM rupture lead to the leakage of plasma proteins through the GBM.
Of these proteins, fibrin is thought to contribute most strongly to the crescent formation.
Parietal epithelial cells lining the bowman capsule respond to the leaked fibrin and proliferate.
Infiltrating white blood cells such as monocytes and macrophages also proliferate.
These proliferating cells surround and compress the glomerulus, forming a crescent-shaped scar that is readily visible on light microscopy of a renal biopsy.
Minimal change disease
Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis
Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis
Rapidly non progressive glomerulonephritis