A morphologic and morphometric study of the vesical mucosa and urethra of castrated female rats following estrogen and/or progestogen replacement.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze the morphologic and morphometric changes in the urethra and vesical mucosa following hormonal replacement


METHODS
We analyzed the changes in the urethra and vesical mucosa of 35 castrated adult female rats that had been subjected to estrogen and/or progestogen replacement.


RESULTS
Estrogen replacement, whether or not accompanied with progestogen replacement, provoked metaplasia, hyperplasia and an increased occurrence of stratified epithelia. In the proximal urethra hypoestrogenism caused a higher occurrence of pseudo-stratified and transition epithelia, whereas in the urethral-vesical junction it caused a higher frequency of pseudo-stratified epithelia. The thickness of the epithelium increased following estrogen replacement whereas only a trend towards an increase of the propria lamina thickness was identified. Nuclear volume was only altered in the bladder epithelium.


CONCLUSIONS
Estrogen replacement acted both morphometrically and morphologically on the lower urinary tract.
Suguita
M
M
Department of Gynecology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Girãio
M J
MJ
Simões
M J
MJ
Sartori
M G
MG
Baracat
E C
EC
Rodrigues de Lima
G R
GR
D000818:Animals; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006965:Hyperplasia; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010919:Placebos; D011372:Progestins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D014521:Urethra / Q000473:pathology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000473:pathology
D010919:Placebos; D011372:Progestins