Determination of the time since death by histological changes in distal convoluted tubule in human kidneys

ABSTRACT

Background: The DCT is lined with simple cuboidal cells that are shorter than those of the proximal convolutedtubule (PCT). The lumen appears larger in DCT, the histological changes DCT in kidney after death have beenstudied in various land animals and sea marine animals but yet very few studies with same view which mayprovide keen and fruitful results for human distal convoluted tubule in kidney have been done. It will be helpfulfor estimation of time after death.Aim: To determine the time since death by histological changes in Distal convoluted tubule.Materials and Methods: 50 Human kidneys samples at different time intervals between 4hrs to 52.30 hr,temperature between17.3/22.3-31.3/450C, humidity between 11/36 to 75/95, were of different age and sex obtainedas and when available from cadavers with a known time of death where death had resulted from natural death,suffocation and trauma, dead individual health and not suffering from disease affecting kidney.Result: Increase the rate of postmortem histological changes in DCT was found to be increased with rise in thetemperature and duration. In Distal convoluted tubules lumens were found swelling of epithelial cells. Retractionof epithelium from the basement membrane and its disruption with individualization of cells, nuclear pyknosis,karyolysis and loss of tubular architecture with debris in the lumen were observed.Conclusion: In this current research, sequence of postmortem histological changes in DCT was studied. Thesecriteria’s presented in this study could be used to determine the time after death