A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDY ON THE UROTHELIUMS

I. ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE UROTHELIAL SURFACE OF THE BLADDER

Abstract

The canine and human urinary bladder urotheliums in normal and infectious conditions were studied by scanning electron microscopy.
The surface cells of the collapsed canine bladders showed slightly spherical shape. with coarse folds of the cell membrane. In distended condition these cells became flat and polygonal, presenting fine folds on the cell surfaces.
The suface cells of the normal human bladder projected toward the lumen more spherically compared to the canine bladders, showing fine complicated folds on their surfaces.
In inflammatory conditions the surface cells of the human bladders became flat in general. Especially in chronic cystitis they became completely flat and polygonal. Some cells had more definite folds on their surfaces than normal, others very small projections. In acute cystitis most part of the surface cells desquamated and the rest had numerous granular projections on their surfaces.
The bladder urothelium of the patient suffering from recurrent cystitis was apparently different from that of the normal even when there were no abnormal findings in clinical examinations. The most particular finding was that there existed many intercellular fissures, that might be related to recurrent infection.