Cinnabar-Induced Subchronic Renal Injury Is Associated with Increased Apoptosis in Rats

Figure 3

Representative images of rat kidney histopathology in cinnabar-treated rats. Rats were dosed with cinnabar (1 g/kg/day) for 8 weeks or 12 weeks. Renal sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). Representative images are shown from (a), the control group, 8 weeks (b–e), the cinnabar group, 8 weeks (f), the control group, 12 weeks (g–j) the cinnabar group, 12 weeks. (a) and (f) show the normal histology of the kidney. (b) and (g) show infiltration of inflammatory cells. (c) and (h) show vacuolization of tubular cells (indicated by arrows), (d) and (i) show protein casts in tubules (indicated by arrows), and (e) and (j) show apoptotic cells (indicated by arrows) in cinnabar-treated animals. Scale bar = 20 μm.