Expected Staining Reactions of Urine Sediment Constituents

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to the expected staining reactions of urine sediment constituents.

RBCs

Red blood cells, usually showing a neutral-pink to purple stain.

WBCs

White blood cells, dark-staining cells that appear purple.

Glitter cells

Sternheimer-Malbin positive cells that display brownian movement.

Renal tubular epithelial cells

Cells with a dark shade of blue-purple stain.

Bladder tubular epithelial cells

Cells stained a blue-purple color.

Squamous epithelial cells

Cells that appear as a dark shade of orange-purple.

Hyaline casts

These casts appear colorless or light blue.

Cytoplasm of cells

Typically shows purple granules.

Coarse granular inclusion casts

They are identified by dark purple granules in a purple matrix.

Fat inclusion casts

Unstained fat globules appear in a pink matrix.

Blood (hemoglobin) casts

Notable for their orange-red coloration.

Trichomonas vaginalis

A motile organism that appears light blue-green.

Mucus in urine sediment

Background that shows a pale pink or pale blue stain.

Bacteria in urine

Motile strains do not stain while nonmotile strains appear purple.