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Updated: May 14, 2026

Isolation and Culture of Primary Neurons and Glia from Adult Rat Urinary Bladder
Published on: May 23, 2020
Differences in the development of autogenous nerves between the upper and lower urinary tract
Qimin Chen1, Jinquan Cai, Chengren Shi
1Department of Urology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127;
Autogenous nerves in rabbit urinary tracts develop by 3 weeks gestation. Nerves in the upper tract disappear postnatally, but remain in the bladder and posterior urethra.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Developmental Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The innervation of the urinary tract is crucial for its function.
- Understanding the developmental timeline of nerve distribution is essential for diagnosing congenital abnormalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the development and distribution of autogenous nerves within the urinary tract of New Zealand rabbits.
- To compare nerve development in the upper versus lower urinary tract.
Main Methods:
- Utilized New Zealand rabbits at various gestational (2, 3, 3.5 weeks) and postnatal (1, 4, 8, 12 weeks) ages.
- Employed immunohistochemical staining to identify nervous plexus and neuroganglia.
- Examined nerve distribution across multiple urinary tract sites.
Main Results:
- Myenteric plexuses and ganglia first observed at 3 weeks gestational age.
- Nerves in the pelvis and ureter showed a developmental decrease, disappearing by postnatal week 8.
- Nerves persisted permanently in the bladder and posterior urethra.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences exist in the development and distribution of myenteric nerves between the upper and lower urinary tracts.
- Autogenous nerve development in the rabbit urinary tract is site-specific and age-dependent.
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