title: Urinalysis: do not forget this type of cell in renal transplantation.
abstract: Microscopic sediment analysis of urine from a 56-year-old woman who underwent renal transplantation showed many uncommon clusters of rounded and translucent cells containing globular mucous cytoplasmic inclusions (HPF, x400). These cells were bigger than leukocytes and, compared with uroepithelial cells, showed a smaller nucleus to cytoplasm ratio and appeared eosinophilic, being pink rather than azurophilic with Sternheimer-Malbin stain. They were also unlikely to be tubular cells, which are usually smaller, singly distributed and associated with dysmorphic erythrocytes and/or casts and/or a worsening in renal function. A review of the patient's history showed that a pretransplantation urologic surgical treatment, including ileal bladder reconstruction, had been performed. Intestinal epithelial cells should be remembered when examining urinary sediment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, Turin - Italy. massimogai@katamail.com
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gai
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giunti
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maddalena
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: Fedele
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lasaponara
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lanfranco
authors.forename: Giuseppe P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Segoloni
mesh_terms: D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000473:pathology*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000379:methods*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000473:pathology