title: Effects of castration and hormone replacement in the urinary bladder of rats: structural, ultrastructural, and biochemical analysis.
abstract: We evaluated, by qualitative and quantitative methods, the structural  alterations in the bladder wall of rats submitted to surgical castration, as  well as the role of hormone replacement in reversing the possible structural  alterations. Twenty-four 12-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The  animals were divided into 3 groups comprising 8 animals each and treated as  follows. Members of group CONTR (control) underwent a sham operation only and  were sacrificed after 2 months. Members of group ORCH (orchiectomy) underwent  bilateral orchiectomy and were sacrificed after 2 months. Members of group  ORCH+TEST (testosterone) underwent orchiectomy, received testosterone  replacement after 1 month, and were sacrificed 1 month later. We performed a  qualitative and quantitative analysis of collagen by light microscopy,  scanning electron microscopy, biochemistry, and a histomorphometric analysis  of smooth muscle and elastic fibers in the 3 groups. The results showed a  significant decrease in absolute values of elastic fibers in the castrated  group. The histomorphometric analysis of epithelial height did not show  differences among the groups. There was no statistical difference in  quantitative analysis of collagen, either by histomorphometry or by  biochemistry. Also, there was no difference in the smooth muscle cells.  However, the qualitative analysis revealed differences in collagen (castrated  group) when compared with controls and with rats submitted to hormone  replacement. Hormone replacement with testosterone was able to revert the  alterations observed. The findings suggest that hormone replacement, even when  instituted at a late stage, is effective in reversing the bladder wall  alterations produced by secondary hypogonadism.
authors: Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Carla B M
authors: CB
authors: Gallo
authors: Alexandre F
authors: AF
authors: Miranda
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Felix-Patricio
authors: Cristiane F
authors: CF
authors: Ramos
authors: Luiz E M
authors: LE
authors: Cardoso
authors: Waldemar S
authors: WS
authors: Costa
authors: Francisco J B
authors: FJ
authors: Sampaio
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D003094:Collagen