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Related Concept Videos

Urinary Bladder01:23

Urinary 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...
Anatomy of the Genitourinary System II: Bladder and Urethra01:19

Anatomy 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...
Structure and Organization of Smooth Muscles01:13

Structure and Organization of Smooth Muscles

Smooth muscle tissue is a type of muscle tissue that can be found lining various vital organs in the human body, including the lungs, blood vessels, digestive tract, and respiratory tract. This type of tissue is responsible for regulating the movements of these organs, playing crucial roles in the functioning of various systems, including the vascular, digestive, respiratory, and urinary systems.
Structure of smooth muscle cell
Smooth muscle cells are spindle-shaped with tapering ends and a...
Ureters01:22

Ureters

The ureters are retroperitoneal tubes located on either side of the vertebral column. They are responsible for transporting urine from each kidney to the urinary bladder. These tubes have thick walls and are approximately 25-30 cm long. Their diameter is around 10 mm at the renal pelvis, gradually narrowing to 1 mm as the ureter obliquely enters the posterior bladder wall through the ureteric orifices. The shape of these orifices is slit-like, which helps to prevent urine backflow toward the...
Functions of Smooth Muscles01:23

Functions of Smooth Muscles

Smooth muscles are an important type of muscle tissue that plays a vital role in the involuntary movements of internal organs. For example, they help regulate the movement of food through the gut and the flow of blood through the circulatory system.
Function of visceral smooth muscles
Visceral smooth muscle is found in the walls of all hollow organs, except the heart, and is a key player in the involuntary movements that drive the functioning of these internal organs. This tissue is arranged in...
The Micturition Reflex01:26

The 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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

A Decentralized (Ex Vivo) Murine Bladder Model with the Detrusor Muscle Removed for Direct Access to the Suburothelium during Bladder Filling
06:36

A 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

Smooth muscle differentiation and patterning in the urinary bladder.

Gregory Tasian1, Gerald Cunha, Laurence Baskin

  • 1Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, Frank Hinman Jr. Urological Research Laboratory, 513 Parnassus Avenue, HSW 1434, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. gtasian@urology.ucsf.edu

Differentiation; Research in Biological Diversity
|June 15, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Smooth muscle development in the urinary bladder relies on epithelial signals, particularly Sonic hedgehog (Shh). This review explores Shh signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in bladder smooth muscle patterning.

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Mouse Bladder Wall Injection
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Mouse Bladder Wall Injection

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Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

A Decentralized (Ex Vivo) Murine Bladder Model with the Detrusor Muscle Removed for Direct Access to the Suburothelium during Bladder Filling
06:36

A 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

Bladder Smooth Muscle Strip Contractility as a Method to Evaluate Lower Urinary Tract Pharmacology
10:26

Bladder Smooth Muscle Strip Contractility as a Method to Evaluate Lower Urinary Tract Pharmacology

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Mouse Bladder Wall Injection
03:48

Mouse Bladder Wall Injection

Published on: July 12, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Urology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • Smooth muscle differentiation and patterning are crucial for urinary bladder development.
  • Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and signaling pathways orchestrate this process.
  • Epithelial signals are essential for inducing smooth muscle differentiation in the adjacent mesenchyme.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of epithelial-mesenchymal interaction and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling in bladder smooth muscle differentiation and patterning.
  • To discuss potential future research directions concerning signaling molecules, transcription factors, and mesenchymal properties in bladder smooth muscle formation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and Shh signaling pathways.
  • Analysis of transcription factors (e.g., Gli2, BMP4) involved in Shh signal transduction.
  • Discussion of emerging factors and pathways potentially influencing bladder smooth muscle development.

Main Results:

  • Sonic hedgehog (Shh), expressed by the urothelium, promotes mesenchymal proliferation and smooth muscle differentiation.
  • Shh signaling, mediated by transcription factors like Gli2 and BMP4, is vital for bladder smooth muscle patterning.
  • The precise involvement of early mesenchymal migration mediators and Shh pathway crosstalk in patterning remains to be fully elucidated.

Conclusions:

  • Epithelial-mesenchymal interaction and Shh signaling are fundamental to urinary bladder smooth muscle development.
  • Further research is needed to understand the roles of other signaling molecules, transcription factors, and mesenchymal properties.
  • Identifying these factors will enhance our understanding of bladder smooth muscle formation and potential therapeutic targets.