Tubular gigantism of the kidney in a 41-mm, Streeter's 23rd horizon, human fetus with a comparative study of renal structures in normal human fetuses at a similar stage of development.
This is a comparative study of the metanephric development of 1 abnormal and 7 normal human fetuses, all of them measuring approximately 41 mm in vertex-coccyx length (48-50 days of gestation). The abnormal fetus presented with dilatation of the collecting tubules and is, in accordance with our review of current literature, the first case in which this malformation has been described at such an early (embryonal) stage of development. Many theories have tried to explain the pathogenesis of this malformation. Our studies agree with the theory that proposes a delay in tubular canalization, to which changes in the structure of the tubular wall might be added.
D005260:Female; D005877:Gigantism / Q000196:embryology*; D006801:Humans; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First