Final answer:
Glomerulonephritis occurs when the glomeruli of the nephrons are damaged from inflammation. In the case of streptococcal infections, immune complexes form in the blood between streptococcal antigens and antibodies, leading to inflammation in the glomeruli.
Step-by-step explanation:
Glomerulonephritis occurs when the glomeruli of the nephrons are damaged from inflammation. The most well-characterized mechanism of glomerulonephritis is the post-streptococcal sequelae associated with Streptococcus pyogenes throat and skin infections. Immune complexes that form in the blood between S. pyogenes antigens and antibodies lodge in the capillary endothelial cell junctions of the glomeruli and trigger a damaging inflammatory response.