ACTA FAC. MED. NAISS. 2004; 21 (2):
65-71|
ACTA FAC. MED. NAISS. 2004; 21 (2):
65-71 |
Original article
THE QUANTIFICATION OF GLOMERULAR ENDOTHELIAL AND MESANGIAL CELLS DURING
THE HUMAN AGING
Vesna Stojanović1, Rade Čukuranović1, Ivan Jovanović1, Ljiljana Vasović1, Slobodan Vlajković1, Slađana Ugrenović1, Snežana Pavlović1, Logkou Dimitra2
1Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine in Niš, Serbia and Montenegro,
2A post-graduate student at
the Faculty of Medicine in Niš, Serbia and Montenegro
SUMMARY
Vital importance of the kidney
function and the impossibility of its successful substitution, put on the need
for the estimation of the morphologic and functional characteristics of the
kidney during the aging process. Kidney’s aging changes lead to the decrease of
its function. So, it is very important, especially for the older individuals, to
enable better differentiation of the pathologic from the age changes in the
kidney’s tissue.
Cadaveric tissue samples were used as
material. Cadavers were classified into the different age groups according to
the next scheme: I (20-29); II (30-39); III (40-49); IV (50-59); V (60-69) and
VI (70 and older). After the routine histologic processing, slices were
stereologicaly analyzed under the microscope with projection screen (Reichert
Visopan) with 40 x lens magnification. M 42 test system was used. Hundred, by
unbased method selected, glomeruli of each age group, were analyzed.
The average absolute number of the
glomerular endothelial cells shows significant increase till the age of 50
(p<0.01), in regard to the age of the 20 to 29 years, while the number of the
mesangial cells during this period shows insignificant increase. After the age
of 50 till the age of 70 years these parameters show insignificant increase.
After the age of 70 years the number of glomerular endothelial cells
significantly decrease in regard to the age of 40 to 49 years (p<0.01), while
the number of mesangial cells shows significant decrease during this period in
regard to the age of 20 to 29 years (p<0.05) and in regard to the age of 40 to
49 years (p<0.01).
Significant decrease of cell’s number in the V and VI age group is the result of the glomerular loops decrease per area unit.
Key words: mesangial cells, endothelial cells, glomerulus, aging