Jochen Neuhaus1, Birgit Schröppel2, Martin Dass3, Hans Zimmermann3, Hartwig Wolburg4, Petra Fallier-Becker4, Thomas Gevaert5, Claus J Burkhardt2, Hoang Minh Do6, Jens-Uwe Stolzenburg6. 1. Department of Urology, Research Laboratory, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 2. Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tuebingen, Reutlingen, Germany. 3. Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Training, Application and Support Center (TASC) Application Support EM, Munich, Germany. 4. Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany. 5. Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Laboratory of Experimental Urology, Leuven, Belgium. 6. Department of Urology, University Leipzig, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Abstract
AIMS: To explore the ultrastructure of interstitial cells in the upper lamina propria of the human bladder, to describe the spatial relationships and to investigate cell-cell contacts. METHODS: Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), 3-View SEM and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to analyze the 3D ultrastructure of the upper lamina propria in male and female human bladders. RESULTS: 3View-SEM image stacks as large as 59 × 59 × 17 μm3 (xyz) at a resolution of 16 × 16 × 50 nm3 and high resolution (5 × 5 × 10 nm3 ) FIB-SEM stacks could be analyzed. Interstitial cells with myoid differentiation (mIC) and fibroblast like interstitial cells (fIC) were the major cell types in the upper lamina propria. The flat, sheet-like ICs were oriented strictly parallel to the urothelium. No spindle shaped cells were present. We furthermore identified one branched cell (bIC) with several processes contacting urothelial cells by penetrating the basal membrane. This cell did not make any contacts to other ICs within the upper lamina propria. We found no evidence for the occurrence of telocytes in the upper lamina propria. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive 3D-ultrastructural analysis of the human bladder confirmed distinct subtypes of interstitial cells. We provide evidence for a foremost unknown direct connection between a branched interstitial cell and urothelial cells of which the functional role has still to be elucidated. 3D-ultrastructure analyses at high resolution are needed to further define the subpopulations of lamina propria cells and cell-cell interactions.
AIMS: To explore the ultrastructure of interstitial cells in the upper lamina propria of the human bladder, to describe the spatial relationships and to investigate cell-cell contacts. METHODS: Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), 3-View SEM and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to analyze the 3D ultrastructure of the upper lamina propria in male and female human bladders. RESULTS: 3View-SEM image stacks as large as 59 × 59 × 17 μm3 (xyz) at a resolution of 16 × 16 × 50 nm3 and high resolution (5 × 5 × 10 nm3 ) FIB-SEM stacks could be analyzed. Interstitial cells with myoid differentiation (mIC) and fibroblast like interstitial cells (fIC) were the major cell types in the upper lamina propria. The flat, sheet-like ICs were oriented strictly parallel to the urothelium. No spindle shaped cells were present. We furthermore identified one branched cell (bIC) with several processes contacting urothelial cells by penetrating the basal membrane. This cell did not make any contacts to other ICs within the upper lamina propria. We found no evidence for the occurrence of telocytes in the upper lamina propria. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive 3D-ultrastructural analysis of the human bladder confirmed distinct subtypes of interstitial cells. We provide evidence for a foremost unknown direct connection between a branched interstitial cell and urothelial cells of which the functional role has still to be elucidated. 3D-ultrastructure analyses at high resolution are needed to further define the subpopulations of lamina propria cells and cell-cell interactions.
Authors: Dennis R Clayton; Wily G Ruiz; Marianela G Dalghi; Nicolas Montalbetti; Marcelo D Carattino; Gerard Apodaca Journal: Am J Physiol Renal Physiol Date: 2022-07-14
Authors: Yu-Cheng Lee; Hung-Ming Lam; Charles Rosser; Dan Theodorescu; William C Parks; Keith Syson Chan Journal: Nat Rev Urol Date: 2022-06-28 Impact factor: 16.430