Casts are cylindrical structures

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Urinary Casts: Casts are cylindrical structures of microscpic size which are found in the urinary deposit. They are formed in the renal tubules by the coagulation of protein. Red blood corpuscles or epithelial cells may be impressed upon this matrix, producing blood and epithelial casts respectively; such casts are found in the early stages of actue glomerulonephritis. Granular casts are formed by degeneration of the impressed cells. Epithelial and granular casts are indicative of inflammation and degeneration of the renal tubules. Hyaline casts, found in chronic glomerulonephritis and occasionally in very small umbers in normal urine, are formed by coagulated protein withoutthe addition of cellular elements.