title: Comparison of Cajal-like cells in pelvis and proximal ureter of kidney with and without hydronephrosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate effects of Cajal-like cells on human renal pelvis and proximal ureter on peristalsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  63 patients submitted to nephrectomy due to atrophic non-functional kidney associated with hydroureteronephrosis were included as study group and 30 cases with nephrectomy due to other reasons were included as control group. Samples from renal pelvis and proximal ureters were obtained and sections of 5µ form paraffin blocks of these samples were prepared; layers of lamina propria and muscularis mucosa were examined by immune-histochemistry using CD117 in order to determine count and distribution of Cajal-like cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During immune-histochemical examinations of sections, obtained from renal pelvis and proximal ureter of hydronephrotic kidneys by CD117, Cajal-like cells number determined in lamina propria and muscularis propria was statistically significantly lower compared to control group (p<0.001). Distribution of Cajal-like cells in renal pelvis and proximal tubulus was similar under examination by light microscope, and also both groups were not different from each other regarding staining intensity of Cajal-like cells by c-kit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significantly reduced number of Cajal-like cells in study group compared to control group, shows that these cells may have a key role in regulation of peristalsis at level of renal pelvis and proximal ureter in urinary system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Manisa Alaşehir State Hospital, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Balikci
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Başkent University, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tahsin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Turunç
authors.affiliation: Department of Patology, School of Medicine, Başkent University, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nebil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bal
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Çelik
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Başkent University, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Özkardeş
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002452:Cell Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006869:Hydronephrosis / Q000473:pathology*; D007682:Kidney Pelvis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D009392:Nephrectomy; D010528:Peristalsis / Q000502:physiology; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D000067170:Telocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D014513:Ureter / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit