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Developments in the treatment of sexual dysfunction and diseases of the lower urinary tract innervated myofibroblasts in the urinary bladder? Functional and ultrastructural evidence
Abstract   Peer reviewed

Developments in the treatment of sexual dysfunction and diseases of the lower urinary tract innervated myofibroblasts in the urinary bladder? Functional and ultrastructural evidence

E Burcher, P Sadananda and Shaun L Sandow
Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Vol.107(Supplement 1), pp.208-209
World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology: WorldPharma2010, XVIth (Copenhagen, Denmark, 18-Jul-2010–23-Jul-2010)
2010
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-7843.2010.00600.x
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https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-7843.2010.00600.xView
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Abstract

Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences sexual dysfunction treatment lower urinary tract innervated myofibroblasts
We have reported that neurokinin A (NKA) can contract isolated mucosal strips from porcine bladder, with dense smooth muscle actin staining on the suburothelial myofibroblasts - these may mediate the contraction to NKA (Sadananda et al., Br J Pharmacol 2008; 153, 1465-73). Our aim was to examine the ultrastructure of the porcine bladder mucosa and characterize the relationship of the suburothelial myofibroblasts with adjacent cells. Pig bladders obtained from an abbatoir were processed for electron microscopy. The suburothelial population of myofibroblasts were morphologically similar to the deep myofibroblasts of human detrusor, in that they have prominent rough endoplasmic reticulum and elongated processes. Extensive nerve bundles with varicosities were located below the urothelium and in close proximity to myofibroblasts. These nerve bundles contained individual varicosities with discrete regions (bare of Schwann cells) containing synaptic vesicles, facing the potential neuroeffector cell. This is in accordance with the definition of neuroeffector junctions, as neurotransmitter release sites. These dense-cored synaptic vesicles were 100-250 nm in diameter, consistent with a primarily peptidergic content. In low resolution studies (n = 4), synaptophysin and tachykinin immunoreactivity localised nerve fibres containing tachykinins within the suburothelial nerve plexus and in association with myofibroblasts. In conclusion, the strategic location of suburothelial myofibroblasts between the urothelium and afferent nerve plexus suggests that they are involved in sensory processing and cross talk between cell layers. We hypothesise that peptides such as NKA are released from these dense-cored synaptic vesicle-containing varicosities, to act directly on suburothelial myofibroblasts, resulting in contraction of the porcine bladder mucosa.

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