The Identification and Significance of Polymorphonuclear Leucocytes in the Urine

SUMMARY Using a cell suspension composed entirely of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, it has been shown that these cells can undergo a change in the urine to a form with a round nucleus difficult to distinguish from lymphocytes, monocytes and smaller renal tubular epithelial cells. A number of methods of staining the urine deposit have been compared. The most effective stains are those which are mixed with the sediment, which is then examined, without drying, under a coverslip; and of these, Quensel's method, which does not employ a cytoplasmic counterstain, gave the best results. The appearance of the cells found in normal and pathological urine is described. The number of neutrophil leucocytes in the urine of normal subjects was always less than 0–5/c. mm. In a series of patients in whom a clear diagnosis could be reached by other means, it was found that increases to this level or above were associated with urinary tract infection or obstruction, or occasionally with glomerulonephritis.