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Related Concept Videos

Urethra01:16

Urethra

The urethra is a hollowed tubular organ through which urine is expelled from the body. This structure extends from the bladder to the external opening, allowing urine to be released.
The anatomy of the urethra differs between males and females. In females, the urethra is short, measuring about 3–4 cm in length, and opens anterior to the vaginal opening. In males, the urethra is longer and passes through the penis, serving dual purposes: expelling urine and ejaculating semen. The male urethra is...
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...
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...
Male Sexual Response: Erection & Ejaculation01:17

Male Sexual Response: Erection & Ejaculation

Sexual stimulation can take various forms, such as physical touch and visual or auditory cues. When this happens, the parasympathetic reflex in the sacral portion of the spinal cord is activated. This reflex stimulates the release of nitric oxide (NO), which then dilates the arterioles in the penis, increasing blood flow to the erectile tissues - the corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum.
The blood filling the erectile tissues compresses the veins, which helps to prevent blood from leaving...
Urodynamic Studies: Uroflowmetry01:19

Urodynamic Studies: Uroflowmetry

Uroflowmetry is a non-invasive urodynamic test designed to measure various aspects of urination, including volume, flow rate, and the time to void. This test is crucial for diagnosing and assessing conditions such as bladder outlet obstruction, bladder dysfunction, incomplete bladder emptying, incontinence, and urinary tract blockages caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and urethral strictures.Pre-Test Instructions:Before a uroflowmetry test, patients are typically advised to drink...
Microbiota of the Urogenital Tract01:28

Microbiota 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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 30, 2026

In Vivo Luminal Measurement of Distension-Evoked Urothelial ATP Release in Rodents
09:17

In Vivo Luminal Measurement of Distension-Evoked Urothelial ATP Release in Rodents

Published on: September 7, 2022

Strain-dependent urethral response.

Donna J Haworth1, Takeya Kitta, Brian Morelli

  • 1Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Neurourology and Urodynamics
|August 10, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Lewis rats have lower leak point pressure and less striated muscle than Sprague-Dawley rats, making them less suitable for stress urinary incontinence models.

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Urinary Bladder Distention Evoked Visceromotor Responses as a Model for Bladder Pain in Mice
11:46

Urinary Bladder Distention Evoked Visceromotor Responses as a Model for Bladder Pain in Mice

Published on: April 27, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Urology
  • Comparative Physiology
  • Animal Models

Background:

  • Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats are commonly used for lower urinary tract research.
  • Lewis rats, an in-bred strain, may offer advantages for cellular therapy studies due to immune tolerance.
  • Understanding strain-specific differences is crucial for selecting appropriate animal models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate functional and mechanical differences in the lower urinary tract between Lewis and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.
  • To evaluate the suitability of Lewis rats as a model for stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Main Methods:

  • Assessed urethral striated and smooth muscle contributions to mechanical and functional properties in vitro.
  • Evaluated the role of the striated sphincter in leak point pressure (LPP) and reflex continence mechanisms in vivo.
  • Utilized normal control rats and a bilateral pudendal nerve transection model of SUI.

Main Results:

  • Control Lewis rats exhibited significantly lower LPP and less fast-twitch skeletal muscle compared to control SD rats.
  • Neuromuscular blockade did not affect LPP in Lewis rats, indicating less reliance on the striated sphincter for continence.
  • Nerve transection reduced LPP in SD rats but not in Lewis rats; Lewis urethras had more smooth muscle but less in vitro activity.

Conclusions:

  • Significant differences exist in the functional and mechanical properties of the urethra between Lewis and SD rats.
  • Lewis rats are not suitable for chronic stress urinary incontinence modeling via pudendal nerve transection.
  • These findings highlight the importance of rat strain selection in lower urinary tract research.