Cell injury associated calcium oxalate crystalluria.

Renal tubular cell damage, resulting in membranuria, was induced by the administration of subcutaneous gentamicin to male Sprague-Dawley rats. One group of rats received gentamicin only, while a second group was given gentamicin plus ethylene glycol in drinking water at a concentration which increased urine oxalate but alone did not cause calcium oxalate crystalluria. Crystalluria occurred early in the combined treatment groups and persisted for the duration of the experiment. Crystalluria was not present in animals receiving gentamicin or ethylene glycol only. These results suggest that cellular fragments can serve as heterogeneous foci for the nucleation of calcium oxalate crystals.