ATC Abstracts

American Transplant Congress abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • 2022 American Transplant Congress
    • 2021 American Transplant Congress
    • 2020 American Transplant Congress
    • 2019 American Transplant Congress
    • 2018 American Transplant Congress
    • 2017 American Transplant Congress
    • 2016 American Transplant Congress
    • 2015 American Transplant Congress
    • 2013 American Transplant Congress
  • Keyword Index
  • Resources
    • 2021 Resources
    • 2016 Resources
      • 2016 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2016 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2015-2016
      • AST Board of Directors 2015-2016
    • 2015 Resources
      • 2015 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2015 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2014-2015
      • AST Board of Directors 2014-2015
      • 2015 Conference Schedule
  • Search

Kidney Cortical Wedge Biopsies for Human Organ Research: Does Anatomic Variability Impact Their Utility?

C. M. Edwards1, J. T. Langford1, M. Reschke2, J. R. DiRito1, D. Mulligan1, D. Haakinson1, G. T. Tietjen1

1Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 2Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT

Meeting: 2020 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: D-286

Keywords: Histology, Image analysis

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session D: Ischemia Reperfusion & Organ Rehabilitation

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2020

Session Time: 3:15pm-4:00pm

 Presentation Time: 3:30pm-4:00pm

Location: Virtual

*Purpose: The purpose of this study is to characterize human kidney anatomic variability both within singular biopsies and between biopsy sites in order to investigate how the information obtained from a biopsy can best be used to draw experimental conclusions in human organ research.

*Methods: Biopsy collection is a simple and effective method for obtaining information in human organ experimentation. Single biopsies are used as a metric to assess organ viability and determine effectiveness of diagnostic tools or therapies. Current practices assume that data obtained from a singular biopsy is representative of a kidney as a whole. The variability within a singular biopsy and within a kidney was determined using the following methods. Cortical wedge biopsies were taken from transplant-declined human kidney in 5 locations (Figure 1A). The biopsies were fixed in 10% formalin. 4 µm sections were sliced every 200 µm for the length of each biopsy and stained with H&E. The whole sections were imaged using a 20x tiling program. The number of healthy glomeruli were counted, and the total area of each biopsy section was determined. Healthy glomerular density per section was calculated. The H&E 20x images were inputted into our digital pathology tool developed in MATLAB to gather preliminary nuclear density quantification data (Figure 1B and 1C). Biopsy sections were also stained with picrosirius red and imaged at 20x in order to quantify areas of fibrosis.

*Results: The density of healthy glomeruli per section was plotted vs. the biopsy location (Figure 1D). The data demonstrate that the density of healthy glomeruli is variable both within a single biopsy and between biopsy locations. The preliminary nuclear density and area of fibrosis data obtained from our digital pathology tool demonstrate similar variability.

*Conclusions: The results suggest that biopsy location selection and biopsy sectioning processes appear to contribute to variable characterization of a kidney. Additional kidney will be studied to identify trends and refine methods. Omics analysis will be used to supplement quantitative histological data and enhance our understanding of variability at a molecular level.

 border=

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Edwards CM, Langford JT, Reschke M, DiRito JR, Mulligan D, Haakinson D, Tietjen GT. Kidney Cortical Wedge Biopsies for Human Organ Research: Does Anatomic Variability Impact Their Utility? [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2020; 20 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/kidney-cortical-wedge-biopsies-for-human-organ-research-does-anatomic-variability-impact-their-utility/. Accessed May 11, 2025.

« Back to 2020 American Transplant Congress

Visit Our Partner Sites

American Transplant Congress (ATC)

Visit the official site for the American Transplant Congress »

American Journal of Transplantation

The official publication for the American Society of Transplantation (AST) and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) »

American Society of Transplantation (AST)

An organization of more than 3000 professionals dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation. »

American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)

The society represents approximately 1,800 professionals dedicated to excellence in transplantation surgery. »

Copyright © 2013-2025 by American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Cookie Preferences