Summary
This report is a light microscopic histochemical and fine structural study of transitional epithelium of the urinary tract of normal and dehydrated rats. Four types of cells were recognized: basal, intermediate, squamous or luminal and bundle cells.
The transitional epithelium of normal rat ureter and bladder shows distinct cytoplasmic staining of the squamous cells layer by PAS. The luminal free border stains more intensely with PAS. With the electron microscope, abundant cytoplasmic tonofilaments, free ribosomes and the characteristic thick-walled fusiform and round vesicles are observed, which were in greater number in the squamous cells. Lysosomes are identified with PAS, and Toluidine Blue 0, by their content of acid phosphatase and non-specific carboxylic esterase, and by their ultrastructural appearance.
The bundle cell (Hicks, 1965) is characterized by histochemical technics. These cells form about 2.5% of the total cell population of normal transitional epithelium. The bundle cell contains basophilic metachromatic granules, which indicates the presence of a weakly acid mucosubstance. It is suggested that bundle cell granules are released in the intercellular spaces of transitional epithelium and that the mucosubstance may regulate flow of ions and metabolites in the epithelial intercellular channels.
Several ultrastructural changes occur in the transitional epithelium of dehydrated rats: marked increase in number of thick-walled vesicles, development of polysomes, relative increase of cytoplasmic filaments and greater number of enlarged lysosomes. Bundle cells decrease in number. These ultrastructural changes promptly regressed by allowing the animal to drink water.
It is suggested that the rate of formation of the characteristic vesicles of transitional epithelium, a function of membrane synthesis, may be under the control of the antidiuretic hormone.
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This investigation was supported in part by the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina, through a travel grant to Dr. Monis, who would like to thank Dr. E. de Robertis for the use of the electron microscope facilities of the Instituto de Anatomía General y Embriología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires.
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Monis, B., Zambrano, D. Transitional epithelium of urinary tract in normal and dehydrated rats. Z. Zellforsch. 85, 165–182 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00325032
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00325032