Histological and histochemical alterations in the kidney induced by lead.
BACKGROUND
Although lead intoxication is one of the most common forms of metal intoxication, the histochemical alterations in the renal tissues due to chronic lead exposure is limited and has not yet been well identified.


METHODS
A total of 60 male Wistar albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) were exposed to lead acetate trihydrate (0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2% for 1 to 12 months) in drinking water to investigate the histological and histochemical alterations in the renal tissues due to lead.


RESULTS
Chronic exposure to subtoxic doses of lead produced distinct progressive tubular, glomerular and interstitial damages. Tubular changes occurred earlier than glomerular and interstitial ones, and included anisokaryosis, nuclear pyknosis, karyomeglay, development of intranuclear and cytoplasmic inclusions together with tubular dilation, necrosis, vacuolization, tubular hyperplasia and solid tubular adenoma. The glomerular alterations were mainly mesangial hypercellularity, segmental proliferation, focal and segmental glomeruloscleriosis, glomerural hyalinization and glomerular tuft alterations.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings indicate that lead produces significant histological and histochemical changes in the kidney that lead to severe complications.
Jarrar
Bashir M
BM
Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.