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Structural changes in the bladder walls of pregnant and hormone‐treated rats: correlation with bladder dynamics
Author(s) -
Rodrìguez Larissa V.,
Wang Bingyin,
Shortliffe Linda M.D.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.2004.05174.x
Subject(s) - connective tissue , endocrinology , medicine , urinary bladder , immunohistochemistry , lamina propria , urinary system , detrusor muscle , distribution (mathematics) , chemistry , epithelium , pathology , mathematical analysis , mathematics
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of oestrogen, progesterone and pregnancy on bladder dynamics, and assess the associated histological and structural changes in the bladder wall in a rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Adult female Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into groups and treated as follows: nonpregnant controls (NC); pregnant (PG); oophorectomized and treated with oestrogen (ES); oophorectomized and treated with progesterone (PR); and oophorectomized controls (OO). Simultaneous and continuous renal pelvic and bladder pressures were recorded during bladder filling and emptying. Connective tissue and smooth muscle were analysed morphometrically and quantitatively, and immunohistochemistry used to evaluate the distribution and expression of collagen types I, III and IV. RESULTS PG rats had significantly greater bladder compliance than NC, OO and PR rats ( P < 0.05). This correlated with the morphometric analysis, with bladders of PG and PR rats having lower connective tissue to smooth muscle ratios than NC, ES and OO rats ( P < 0.05). Collagen I was increased in the lamina propria of PG and ES rats, and the detrusor muscle layer showed greater localization of collagen III in the interfascicular space in the PG and PR rats than in the other groups. There was no change in the distribution of collagen IV. CONCLUSION PG and PR rats had the highest bladder compliance and the changes paralleled structural changes in the bladders, specifically in the ratio of connective tissue to smooth muscle, and the distribution and expression of collagens I and III. These changes have age‐related implications in the urinary tract.