A light and electron microscopic study of urothelium from patients with chronic cystitis.

Urothelial tissues from two groups of patients were examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. Group A (n = 7) had no evidence of clinical or morphological abnormality. Group B (n = 9) consisted of patients with recurrent bacterial and abacterial cystitis. 6 of the 9 patients in group B showed hyperplastic urothelium in their biopsy specimens. The superficial cells contained a significantly greater number of immature cells when compared to controls (p less than 0.001). As it has been shown that bacteria attach more easily to immature cells, it is possible that their persistent presence among the luminal cells of the bladder epithelium is a contributory factor to the recurrence of cystitis.