Epithelial cells in urine

Hi. I'm Dr. Mark Tyson, a urologist at Mayo Clinic. In this video, we'll cover the basics of bladder cancer: What is it? Who gets it? The symptoms. Diagnosis and treatment. Whether you're looking for answers for yourself or someone you love, we're here to give you the best information available. Bladder cancer is almost always one certain type of cancer called urothelial carcinoma, because it starts when urothelial cells that line the inside of the bladder over multiply and become abnormal. Most bladder cancer is caught in the early stages and therefore very treatable. Who gets it? While bladder cancer can happen to anyone, it affects certain groups more than others. For instance, smokers. As the bladder works to filter the harmful chemicals ingested in cigarette smoke, it becomes damaged. In fact, smokers are three times more likely to get bladder cancer. People over the age of 55 are more at risk, as are men, more than women. Exposure to harmful chemicals, either at home or at work, previous cancer treatments, chronic bladder inflammation, or a family history of bladder cancer can also play a role. What are the symptoms? Bladder cancer symptoms are usually clear and easy to notice. If any of these symptoms are present, it may be worth making an appointment to see a doctor: Blood in the urine, frequent urination, painful urination or back pain. Your doctor may investigate the more common causes of the symptoms first, or may refer you to a specialist, like a urologist or a...

Overview A urinalysis is a test of your urine. It's used to detect and manage a wide range of disorders, such as urinary tract infections, kidney disease and diabetes. A urinalysis involves checking the appearance, concentration and content of urine. For example, a urinary tract infection can make urine look cloudy instead of clear. Increased levels of protein in urine can be a sign of kidney disease. Why it's done A urinalysis is a common test that's done for several reasons: • To check your overall health. A urinalysis might be part of a routine medical exam, pregnancy checkup or pre-surgery preparation. Or it might be used to screen for a variety of disorders, such as diabetes, kidney disease or liver disease, when you're admitted to a hospital. • To diagnose a medical condition. A urinalysis might be requested if you have abdominal pain, back pain, frequent or painful urination, blood in your urine, or other urinary problems. A urinalysis can help diagnose the cause of these signs and symptoms. • To monitor a medical condition. If you've been diagnosed with a medical condition, such as kidney disease or a urinary tract infection, your doctor might recommend testing your urine regularly to monitor your condition and treatment. Other tests, such as pregnancy testing and drug screenings, might rely on a urine sample, but these tests look for substances that aren't included in a typical urinalysis. How you prepare If you're having only a urinalysis, you can eat and drink b...

A complete urinalysis includes physical, chemical, and microscopic examinations. Midstream clean collection is acceptable in most situations, but the specimen should be examined within two hours of collection. Cloudy urine often is a result of precipitated phosphate crystals in alkaline urine, but pyuria also can be the cause. A strong odor may be the result of a concentrated specimen rather than a urinary tract infection. Dipstick urinalysis is convenient, but false-positive and false-negative results can occur. Specific gravity provides a reliable assessment of the patient’s hydration status. Microhematuria has a range of causes, from benign to life threatening. Glomerular, renal, and urologic causes of microhematuria often can be differentiated by other elements of the urinalysis. Although transient proteinuria typically is a benign condition, persistent proteinuria requires further work-up. Uncomplicated urinary tract infections diagnosed by positive leukocyte esterase and nitrite tests can be treated without culture. Urinalysis is invaluable in the diagnosis of urologic conditions such as calculi, urinary tract infection (UTI), and malignancy. It also can alert the physician to the presence of systemic disease affecting the kidneys. Although urinalysis is not recommended as a routine screening tool except in women who may be pregnant, physicians should know how to interpret urinalysis results correctly. This article reviews the correct method for performing urinalysis...

Overview There are several different types of epithelial cells based on their shape and arrangement. What is the epithelium? The epithelium is a type of body tissue that forms the covering on all internal and external surfaces of your body, lines body cavities and hollow organs and is the major tissue in glands. Epithelial tissue has a variety of functions depending on where it’s located in your body, including protection, secretion and absorption. The organs in your body are composed of four basic types of tissue, including: • Epithelial. • Connective. • Muscular. • Nervous. All substances that enter or leave an organ must cross the epithelial tissue first. You have many different kinds of epithelial tissue throughout your body. Some examples of epithelial tissue include: • The outer layer of your skin (epidermis). • The lining of your intestines. • The lining of your respiratory tract. • The lining of your abdominal cavity. • Your sweat glands. What are epithelial cells? Epithelial tissue is made up of epithelial cells. The cells can be different shapes and can be arranged in a single layer or multiple layers depending on where they are in your body and what kind of functions they have. In biology, a cell is the smallest unit that can live on its own. Cells make up all living organisms and the tissues of your body. More than 30 trillion cells make up your body. A cell has three main parts: • The cell membrane: The cell membrane surrounds the cell and controls the substan...

Epithelial cells line the inner and outer surfaces of your body. You may have a small number of epithelial cells in your urine. Having too many epithelial cells in your urine may indicate an underlying condition. Your doctor may order a urine test for epithelial cells if you have symptoms of a urinary or kidney disorder. They may request further tests or recommend treatment depending on the test results. Read on to learn more about the types of epithelial cells and what can cause increased epithelial cells in urine. This article also discusses related conditions and treatments. Squamous epithelial cells Squamous epithelial cells are Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health The presence of squamous epithelial cells in your urine Washing your genital area and avoiding touching the rim of the sample bottle can help to reduce the risk of contamination. What causes high epithelial cells in urine? A kidney or urinary tract problem However, contamination of your urine sample may also show higher levels of squamous epithelial cells than usual. It is important to wash your genital area before providing a urine sample and to avoid touching the rim of the urine sample bottle. When should I contact a doctor? It is important to contact your doctor as soon as you experience symptoms that may signify problems with your kidneys or urinary tract. Symptoms of urinary or kidney problems • frequent need to urinate • • blood in your urine •...

Having a large number of epithelial cells in your urine can signal an infection such as a UTI. It can also occur due to a serious condition, such as kidney or liver problems or certain types of cancer. What are epithelial cells? Epithelial cells are cells that come from surfaces of your body, such as your skin, blood vessels, urinary tract, or organs. They serve as a barrier between the inside and outside of your body, and protect it from viruses. A small number of epithelial cells in your urine is normal. A large number may be a sign of infection, Epithelial cells differ by size, shape, and appearance. There are three types of epithelial cells that can be found in your urine, depending on their origin: • Renal tubular. These are the most important of the epithelial cells. An increased number can mean a kidney disorder. They’re also called renal cells. • Squamous. This is the largest type. They come from the vagina and urethra. This type is most often found in female urine. • Transitional. They can come from anywhere between the male urethra and the renal pelvis. They’re sometimes called bladder cells, and are more common in older adults. A urine test may show that you have “few,” “moderate,” or “many” epithelial cells in your urine. Epithelial cells naturally slough off from your body. It’s normal to have one to five squamous epithelial cells per high power field (HPF) in your urine. Having a moderate number or many cells may indicate: • a • kidney or liver disease • cert...

Epithelial cells line various surfaces of the body, including the skin, blood vessels, organs, and urinary tract. A raised amount of epithelial cells in a person’s urine may be a sign that they are ill. Healthy urine contains a small number of epithelial cells. Testing for epithelial cells can help determine if a person has an infection, kidney disease, or other medical condition. This article explores how and why urine is tested for epithelial cells. It also discusses what the results mean and what conditions cause an increase in epithelial cells. Share on Pinterest A raised amount of epithelial cells in the urine may indicate an infection or other health condition. Epithelial cells are cells on the surfaces of the body that act as a protective barrier. They stop viruses getting inside the body. Epithelial cells cover a person’s skin, but they also occur along the surfaces of the digestive tract, the internal organs, and blood vessels. It is natural for some of these cells to occur in urine. However, too many epithelial cells in the urine usually indicate an underlying health condition. There are three main types of epithelial cells: • Renal tubular: Also known as renal cells, an increase in renal tubular cells in the urine may indicate a kidney disorder. • Squamous: These are large epithelial cells that come from the vagina and urethra. They are the type most often found in a woman’s urine. • Transitional: These occur in men between the urethra and renal pelvis. They ten...

Overview What is a urinalysis? A urinalysis (also known as a urine test) is a test that examines the visual, chemical and microscopic aspects of your urine (pee). It can include a variety of tests that detect and measure various compounds that pass through your urine using a single sample of urine. Healthcare providers often use urinalysis to screen for or monitor certain common health conditions, such as While several different aspects of your health can be tested with a urine sample, your healthcare provider will choose which tests to order under a urinalysis depending on your symptoms and situation. What tests are included in urinalysis? Your healthcare provider can include several different tests in a urinalysis. Depending on your symptoms, existing health conditions, and/or situation, your provider will choose which urine tests to order under a urinalysis. In general, a healthcare provider or laboratory technician can examine a urinalysis urine sample for the following broad aspects: • Color and appearance. • Chemical findings. • Microscopic findings. Urine color and appearance For most urinalysis tests, a healthcare provider examines how the urine sample looks to the “naked eye.” They check if it’s clear or cloudy and if it’s pale, dark yellow or another color. Normal urine color is usually some shade of yellow and can range from colorless or pale yellow to deep amber, depending on how concentrated or diluted (watery) your urine is. Many things can affect the color o...

Several things can be found in the urine, such as bacteria, red blood cells, white blood cells, and pus. Another common finding includes epithelial cells in urine. A raised amount of epithelial cells in your urine may indicate an illness, such as an infection or other serious conditions like kidney or liver problems. But what exactly are epithelial cells? How concerned should one be if a doctor finds epithelial cells present in urine? The following blog discusses the meaning, causes, tests, and treatment of epithelial cells. Furthermore, it also discusses epithelial cells in urine in the normal range. Continue reading to find out! Epithelial cells are the cells on the body's surface, such as the skin, urinary tract, blood vessels, and organs. They act as a protective barrier, stopping viruses from entering the body. Besides the protective function, epithelial cells perform other functions as well, such as: • Helps with sensory detection of taste, smell or sight as they transfer signals through the sensory nerve endings • Secretes hormones, enzymes, hormones, and fluids • Absorbs certain substances, such as nutrients from the food • Epithelial cells in the kidney excrete waste, and epithelial cells in the sweat glands excrete sweat • Filters blood, dirt, and particles • Allows selective diffusion of materials to pass through It is normal to have a few epithelial cells eliminated in the urine due to the normal shedding of cells along the urinary tract. However, many epitheli...