Effect of maturation and aging on response of rabbit bladder to bilateral in vivo ischemia/reperfusion.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of maturation and aging on the effect of bilateral in vivo ischemia/reperfusion on bladder function.


METHODS
Male rabbits were separated into three groups by age: immature, mature, and aged rabbits; and each group was subdivided into five subgroups. Each rabbit was subjected to 2 hours of bilateral ischemia. After ischemia, the rabbits in subgroup 1 were killed immediately; the other subgroups were allowed to recover for 1, 7, or 14 days. Separate control (sham-operated) subgroups were not subjected to ischemia. At the end of the experimental period, the bladder was excised, body and base separated, and two strips were prepared from each and mounted in individual baths. The contractile responses to field stimulation and carbachol, adenosine triphosphate, and potassium chloride were determined for the body. The responses to field stimulation alone were determined for the base.


RESULTS
The rabbit body and bladder weights of the mature and aged rabbits were significantly greater than that of the young rabbits, but not different from each other. The mature rabbits were significantly more sensitive to ischemia/reperfusion than were the young rabbits. Finally, the aged rabbits were slightly more sensitive to ischemia/reperfusion than the mature rabbits.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study have shown that the sensitivity of the bladder to ischemia/reperfusion injury increases with age. A very significant increase was found in the sensitivity between young and mature rabbits, with a significantly smaller increase in sensitivity between mature and old rabbits.
Erdem
Erim
E
Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albany College of Pharmacy, Albany, New York, USA.
Whitbeck
Catherine
C
Kogan
Barry A
BA
Levin
Robert M
RM
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D011817:Rabbits; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000254:growth & development*