Hexagonal crystals are indicative of which congenital disorder?

Study for the Clinical Laboratory Science Test: Urinalysis and Body Fluids. Prepare with interactive questions, detailed explanations, and insightful feedback. Ace your examination!

Multiple Choice

Hexagonal crystals are indicative of which congenital disorder?

Explanation:
Hexagonal crystals in urine signal a congenital defect in amino acid handling, specifically cystinuria. In the kidneys, the transporter that reabsorbs cystine (along with other dibasic amino acids) is defective, so cystine is lost in urine in high amounts. Cystine has low solubility in urine, so it tends to crystallize, and under microscopic examination these crystals appear as distinctive hexagons. This hexagonal pattern is a classic, highly specific clue for cystinuria, an inherited disorder that predisposes to recurrent kidney stones. Other crystals come from different substances (uric acid, calcium oxalate, struvite) and don’t show this hexagonal morphology, so recognizing the shape helps point to the correct congenital condition.

Hexagonal crystals in urine signal a congenital defect in amino acid handling, specifically cystinuria. In the kidneys, the transporter that reabsorbs cystine (along with other dibasic amino acids) is defective, so cystine is lost in urine in high amounts. Cystine has low solubility in urine, so it tends to crystallize, and under microscopic examination these crystals appear as distinctive hexagons. This hexagonal pattern is a classic, highly specific clue for cystinuria, an inherited disorder that predisposes to recurrent kidney stones. Other crystals come from different substances (uric acid, calcium oxalate, struvite) and don’t show this hexagonal morphology, so recognizing the shape helps point to the correct congenital condition.

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