Diabetes Induced Changes in Rat Urinary Bladder and Urethral Epithelium
| Summary |
Data Summary |
| Investigator |
Leiter, Ed |
| Description |
Diabetic bladder dysfunction (DBD) is among the most common and incapacitating
complications of type I diabetes mellitus (DM), resulting in urinary
incontinence and poor emptying of the bladder, and affecting quality of life
substantially. Despite the prevalence of DBD, many details of the natural
history and mechanism of this condition remain unknown. Exploration of those
details in a series of laboratory experiments using streptozotocin (STZ)-induced
DM in rats has revealed that the bladder undergoes morphometric and functional
changes leading to altered voiding function. Recent evidence supports a sensory
role for the bladder uro-epithelium and suggests that these epithelial cells may
play a prominent role in voiding function in addition to their role as a
barrier. Moreover, the role of the urethra has recently been recognized, and
alterations in urethral function are also found in DM. Systemically, DM is
associated with various changes including plasma osmolarity, glucose levels, and
changes in autonomic and neuroendocrine function. These alterations could impact
the epithelial cells lining the bladder and urethra and ultimately changes in
their sensory function may adversely affect the underlying muscle and
innervation. Moreover, changes in epithelial barrier function and urine
constituency may be predisposing conditions for infectious/inflammatory
processes. In order to begin to explore the effect of DM on epithelial function,
we will compare morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics of
epithelial cells lining the lower urinary tract (LUT) in normal and STZ-treated
DM rats. We hypothesize that the DM-induced epithelial sensory dysfunction will
lead to changes in the ‘sensory-web’ directly and thereby result in LUT
dysfunction. A secondary effect on bladder function, that caused by altered
barrier function necessary during storage, may also be a feature of this disease
state. Defects in uro-epithelial sensor molecules and epithelial-signali
|
| Status |
Completed |
| Public Release |
4/30/2014 |
| Data Collected? |
Data will not be collected for this catalog item |
| Species |
M. musculus |
| Animal Age |
Measured In: week(s) post-natal (w) |
|
| Data Analysis |
|
|
| Type | Count | Released |
| Animals | 0 | - |
| Experimental Conditions | 0 | - |
| Phenotype Assays | 0 | - |
| Phenotype Measurements | 0 | 0 |
| Microarrays | 0 | - |
| Histology Images | 0 | 0 |
| Publications | 0 | - |
|
|
Experimental Factor Values