Related Experiment Videos
[Ultrastructural modifications of the bladder wall in senescence]
E Canon1, L G Timmermans, M Reznik
1Laboratoire de Neuroanatomie de l'Université de Liège.
Acta Urologica Belgica
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Aging alters bladder tissue structure, including epithelium, muscle, and nerves, potentially affecting bladder compliance. These changes are observed in older humans and rats.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Urology
- Cell Biology
Context:
- Age-related changes in the bladder wall are not fully understood at the ultrastructural level.
- Previous studies have focused on functional aspects, but morphological alterations require detailed investigation.
Purpose:
- To investigate the histochemical and ultrastructural changes in the bladder wall tissues of aging individuals.
- To compare age-related bladder tissue modifications in humans and rats.
Summary:
- Histochemical and ultrastructural analyses of bladder biopsies (ages 23-92) reveal age-related tissue modifications.
- Beyond 70 years, epithelial cells show altered junctional complexes and fewer organelles; muscle cells exhibit modified intercellular spaces.
- Connective tissue density increases with fibrosis, small vessels show arteriosclerosis, and the autonomous nervous network density decreases with predominant cholinergic innervation.
Impact:
- Identifies specific morphological changes in the aging bladder, including epithelial, muscular, vascular, and nervous tissues.
- Provides a comparative analysis of aging effects on bladder tissue in humans and rats.
- These findings may explain age-related modifications in vesical compliance and associated urological conditions.