The occurrence of numerous alveolar macrophages and pulmonary
giant cells has been reported in both fatal asphyxia and other causes of
death. Pulmonary giant cells as a significant diagnostic tool in cases of
asphyxia is still a controversial discussion. In the present study we investigated
experimentally some types of asphyxia to detect both alveolar
macrophages and pulmonary giant cells by immunohistochemical method
using a monoclonal antibody Ki-M1p. and to estimate the frequency of
these cells microscopically in each group examined to evaluate the statistical
cliff' erences which may help in differentiation between the various
causes of death from asphyxia. Forty two adult albino rats were divided
into 7 groups each contained 6 animals. The first group were sactificed
by decapitation and act as a control group. The animals of the 2nd and
3rd groups were killed by obstructive asphyxia as strangulation and
hanging respectively, while those of the 4th group were asphyxiated by
drowning. The 5th. 6 th and 7th groups included deaths of asphyxia due
to inhalation, of irritant gases as methanol, ether and butagaz respectively.
Serial sections were prepared from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded
tissue specimens of lungs and brains, and were used for Hx & E and immunostaining.
Alveolar macrophages and pulmonary giant cells in all
groups of asphyxia stained positively with a monoclonal antibody Ki-iVlip.
The frequency of these reactive cells showed a variation between the dif-
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Marcelle R. Haroun et al...
ferent types of asphyxia which may be useful in the dtiferentiation between
the asphyxiated cases as this immunostaining method was easily
and rapidly performed. No histtocytes could be observed in the brain tissues
which served as a good negative control. |
