title: 3-Dimensional morphometric analysis of murine bladder development and dysmorphogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Disorders of the urinary tract represent a major cause of morbidity and impaired quality of life. To better understand the morphological events responsible for normal urinary tract development, we performed 3-D reconstructive analysis of developing mouse bladders in control, mgb-/-, and Fgfr2(Mes-/-) mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Detrusor smooth muscle differentiation initiated in the bladder dome and progressed caudally with the leading edge extending down the right posterior surface of the bladder. Gender-specific differences in detrusor smooth muscle development were observed during early embryonic development. Bladder trigone morphology transitioned from an isosceles to equilateral triangle during development due to the preferential lengthening of the urethra to ureter distance. The primary defect observed in mgb-/- bladders was a significant reduction in detrusor smooth muscle differentiation throughout development. Deviations from normal trigone morphology correlated best with VUR development in Fgfr2(Mes-/-) mice, while alterations in intravesicular tunnel length did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multivariate morphometric analysis provides a powerful tool to quantify and assess urinary tract development.
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular and Human Genetics, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio 43205, USA. ashley.carpenter@nationwidechildrens.org
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paulus
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Carlton M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hains
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kline
authors.forename: Kirk M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: McHugh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology; D009929:Organ Size; D038081:Organogenesis; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology*; D019459:Urothelium / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C496354:Fgfr2 protein, mouse; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2