Korean J Urol.  1986 Jun;27(3):385-391.

Ultrastructural Observations on Epithelial Changes of the Urinary Bladder in Rats Induced by N-Butyl-N-(4-Hydroxybutyl) Nitrosamine

• Kim KC
• Kim YK

Abstract

Sequential epithelial changes of the urinary bladder in rats induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine(BBN) were studied by means of transmission electron microscopy. 0.05% BBN was administered orally in Wistar strain rats for 4 to 12 weeks and sacrificed at the 4th to 20th week. The urinary bladder epithelial changes were classified into 4 categories by conventional light microscopic criteria; normal transitional epithelium, mucosal epithelial hyperplasia, transitional epithelial papilloma and transitional cell carcinoma. The ultrastructural characteristics of the urinary bladder epithelium in rats induced by BBN are as follows; 1. General cellular appearances corresponded to a gradual sequential changes from hyperplasia to carcinoma, and the basement membrane became uneven and/or incomplete in carcinoma. 2. Irregularity of nuclear configurations was proportionally increased together with nuclear membranes and chromatin. 3. Development of intercellular infoldings and desmosomes was much irregular and marked in the neoplastic lesions. 4. Alterations of subcellular organelles began to appear from the hyperplastic epithelium, and also were reflected by increased number of tonofibrils and desmosomal changes according to the degree of malignant potentiality.

Keyword

ultrastructure; bladder epithelium; N-Butyl-N-(4-Hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine

MeSH Terms

Animals
Basement Membrane
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell
Chromatin
Desmosomes
Epithelium
Hyperplasia
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Nuclear Envelope
Organelles
Papilloma
Rats*
Urinary Bladder*
Chromatin