Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
10:26
Bladder Smooth Muscle Strip Contractility as a Method to Evaluate Lower Urinary Tract Pharmacology
Published on: August 18, 2014
Changes in urinary bladder smooth muscle function in response to colonic inflammation.
R Noronha1, H Akbarali, A Malykhina
1Oklahoma Center for Neurosciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
American Journal of Physiology. Renal Physiology
|August 24, 2007
Summary
Acute colitis temporarily impairs bladder muscle contractility, potentially through nerve changes. These bladder function alterations are reversible once colon inflammation resolves, suggesting visceral cross-talk in inflammatory conditions.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Gastroenterology
- Physiology
Background:
- Visceral cross-talk is implicated in conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and interstitial cystitis.
- Understanding colon-bladder interactions is crucial for managing complex symptomatology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the short- and long-term effects of acute colitis on bladder detrusor muscle contractility.
- To determine if colon inflammation directly alters bladder smooth muscle function.
Main Methods:
- Acute colitis was induced in male rats using trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) enema.
- Bladder detrusor muscle contractility was assessed at 3, 15, and 30 days post-induction via electrical field stimulation (EFS) and carbachol (CCh).
- Colitis severity was confirmed through morphology, histology, and myeloperoxidase activity.
Main Results:
- At day 3, during active colitis, bladder detrusor muscle showed normal morphology but altered contractility in response to EFS and CCh, not KCl.
- Contractility changes were linked to alterations in cholinergic innervation.
- By days 15 and 30, following colitis recovery, bladder contractility returned to control levels.
Conclusions:
- Transient colonic inflammation transiently attenuates bladder detrusor muscle contraction amplitude.
- These effects are, in part, mediated by changes in cholinergic innervation.
- The observed bladder dysfunction is reversible upon resolution of colonic inflammation.
More Related Videos
10:32In Vitro Recording of Mesenteric Afferent Nerve Activity in Mouse Jejunal and Colonic Segments
Published on: October 25, 2016
06:36A Decentralized (Ex Vivo) Murine Bladder Model with the Detrusor Muscle Removed for Direct Access to the Suburothelium during Bladder Filling
Published on: November 28, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:20Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the colon characterized by continuous mucosal inflammation that typically begins in the rectum and extends proximally in a uniform pattern. Its pathogenesis involves a complex interplay of genetic predisposition, immune dysregulation, and environmental influences. These factors converge to impair the colon’s epithelial defenses and promote an exaggerated inflammatory response against luminal contents.Breakdown of the Mucosal BarrierA...
01:23Urinary Bladder
The urinary bladder is a hollow, muscular sac that temporarily stores urine before it is expelled from the body. It can hold approximately 600 mL of urine prior to micturition. The bladder is retroperitoneal and located behind the pubic symphysis in the pelvic floor.
In males, the bladder is situated in front of the rectum, while in females, it is positioned anterior to the vagina and uterus. The bladder floor contains an inverted triangular area called the trigone, defined by the two ureteric...
In males, the bladder is situated in front of the rectum, while in females, it is positioned anterior to the vagina and uterus. The bladder floor contains an inverted triangular area called the trigone, defined by the two ureteric...
01:26The Micturition Reflex
Urination, or micturition involves the coordination of the bladder's detrusor muscle and two sphincters to ensure controlled bladder emptying.
The process begins with bladder filling, where the bladder wall stretches as urine accumulates. This stretching activates the urine storage reflex, mediated by the sacral spinal segments and the pontine storage center. Efferent sympathetic impulses stimulate the detrusor muscle to relax and the internal urethral sphincter to contract, facilitating urine...
The process begins with bladder filling, where the bladder wall stretches as urine accumulates. This stretching activates the urine storage reflex, mediated by the sacral spinal segments and the pontine storage center. Efferent sympathetic impulses stimulate the detrusor muscle to relax and the internal urethral sphincter to contract, facilitating urine...
01:23Irritable Bowel Syndrome
DefinitionIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by recurrent combinations of abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.Pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndromeIts pathophysiology is multifactorial, involving disturbances in motility, sensory processing, microbial balance, barrier integrity, and gut–brain communication. These mechanisms interact to produce symptoms that vary across IBS subtypes.Altered Motility PatternsDisordered...
01:28Microbiota of the Urogenital Tract
The human urogenital system, once thought to be sterile in healthy individuals, is now recognized as a complex microbial habitat. Advancements in molecular sequencing techniques have revealed that even in healthy adults, the kidneys and bladder harbor microbial populations similar to those found in the distal urethra, albeit in much lower abundance. These resident microorganisms, while generally innocuous, can become opportunistic pathogens under conditions that alter the urogenital...
01:19Anatomy of the Genitourinary System II: Bladder and Urethra
The lower urinary system consists of the urinary bladder and urethra, which are essential in storing and expelling urine from the body. Together with the internal and external sphincters, these structures work together to regulate urination effectively.Anatomy of the BladderThe urinary bladder is a muscular, stretchable organ behind the pubic bone and in front of the rectum. In females, the bladder is positioned anterior to the vagina and inferior to the uterus, while in males, it is located...