Microscopy of urine sediment. Fatty casts. They form from fatty degenerated renal epithelium. They consist of lipid droplets of various sizes. These casts are found against a background of renal epithelial cells in a state of fatty degeneration. The lipid droplets that make up a fatty cast can be small, formed as a result of protein granular degeneration of the renal epithelium. The detection of renal epithelial cells in a state of fatty degeneration and free-lying lipid droplets in the preparation makes it possible to call such casts fatty. When examining the preparation under low magnification, casts consisting of small and large lipid droplets will appear black due to strong light refraction (this is a reliable way to detect cells in a state of fatty degeneration and fatty casts in the preparation). They are found in the urine sediment of patients with lipoid nephrosis, lipoid-amyloid nephrosis, diabetic nephropathy, glomerulonephritis, and pyelonephritis with a nephrotic component.
🙏 Photos and description kindly provided by biologist Anna Feditskaya, Luhansk.
