HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY

Cellular and Molecular Biology

 

Anencephalic fetuses can be an alternative for kidney transplantation: a stereological and histological investigation

Ahmet Kalaycıoğlu1, Mehmet Karaca2, ismail Can3, Osman Nuri Keleş3, Yılmaz Üçüncü1, Cemal Gündoğdu4, Abdullah Uyanık5 and Bünyami Ünal3

1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey, 2Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kafkas University, Kars, Turkey, 3Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey, 4Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey and 5Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.

Offprint requests to: Dr. Mehmet Karaca, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kafkas University, Kars, Turkey. e-mail: drmehmetkaraca@hotmail.com


Summary. In the study, stereological, histological, and anatomical techniques were used to investigate structural and morphometrical features of anencephalic and normal fetal kidneys.
Twenty human fetal kidneys (5 male and 5 female anencephalic fetuses, and 5 male and 5 female normal fetuses) at gestational ages 30 to 35 weeks were examined. Our study used two basic research methods. One was conventional anatomical measurement at the macroscopic level, such as volume, length, weight, etc. The other consisted of conventional and modern microscopic techniques. The microscopic techniques were based on two research methods: histopathological examination at light microscopic level and stereological estimations, including mean kidney volumes, obtained by the Cavalieri method, and the total number and mean height of the glomeruli via the physical dissector method.
There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of width, height, weight, and fluid replacement volumes. Microscopic quantitative assessment found no statistical differences either, in terms of the kidney volumes and the number and height of the glomeruli.
Our findings suggest that kidneys from anencephalic infants may be a suitable alternative for renal transplantation
. Histol Histopathol 25, 413-422 (2010)

Key words: Anencephalic donors, Kidney, Stereology, Anatomy, Light Microscopy

DOI: 10.14670/HH-25.413