Journal Information
Journal ID (publisher-id): BM
Journal ID (nlm-ta): Biochem Med (Zagreb)
Title: Biochemia Medica
Abbreviated Title: Biochem. Med. (Zagreb)
ISSN (print): 1330-0962
ISSN (electronic): 1846-7482
Publisher: Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine
Article Information
Copyright statement: ©Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.
Copyright: 2022, Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry
License (open-access):
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Date received: 01 November 2021
Date accepted: 20 January 2022
Publication date (electronic): 15 April 2022
Publication date (print): 15 June 2022
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Electronic Location Identifier: 020801
Publisher ID: bm-32-2-020801
DOI: 10.11613/BM.2022.020801
Cell-in-cell phenomenon in urinary sediment: a case report
Karen Cortés-Sarabia[2]
Enrique Alejandro Molina-Avilez[5]
Luis A. Palaoro[6]
Amalia Vences-Velázquez[2]
[1] InvesLab Clinical Laboratory, Iguala de la Independencia, Guerrero, Mexico
[2] Laboratory of Immunobiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Faculty of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Chilpancingo, Mexico
[3] Health School and Post Graduation Program in Food and Nutrition, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, Brazil
[4] Controllab, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
[5] Clinical Laboratory, Hospital Regional de Zona No. 2 "El Marqués", Querétaro, México
[6] Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Author notes:
[*] Corresponding autor: carlosmtzfg@gmail.com
The internalization of apoptotic cells by non-phagocytic cells has been observed in different tissues and could be an important mechanism for the elimination of dying cells. Here, we describe a probable event of phagocytosis of apoptotic cells mediated by urothelial cells in urinary sediment. A 90-years-old male patient was admitted unconscious to the hospital, visible signs included: pale skin and dry mucous membranes, presumptively diagnosed as dehydration. Blood test revealed anaemia (haemoglobin 130 g/L) and hyperglycaemia (glucose 7.8 mmol/L), urinalysis showed a picture of urinary tract infection (leukocyturia and bacteriuria). The microscopic analysis of urinary sediment revealed the presence of urothelial cells and leukocytes internalized in urothelial cells. Anti-CD68 (membrane marker of macrophages) was tested by immunocytochemistry and a negative result was observed. Based on the findings phagocytosis of apoptotic cells mediated by urothelial cells was identified. This phenomenon can be observed in urinary sediment and should not be confused with a neoplastic process since it is a physiological event of cell elimination.
Keywords: urinary sediment; urinalysis; urinary tract infection; cell-in-cell
