title: 3D-electron microscopic characterization of interstitial cells in the human bladder upper lamina propria.
abstract: To explore the ultrastructure of interstitial cells in the upper lamina propria of the human bladder, to describe the spatial relationships and to investigate cell-cell contacts.
  
  
  
  Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), 3-View SEM and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to analyze the 3D ultrastructure of the upper lamina propria in male and female human bladders.
  
  
  
  3View-SEM image stacks as large as 59 × 59 × 17 μm3(xyz) at a resolution of 16 × 16 × 50 nm3and high resolution (5 × 5 × 10 nm3) FIB-SEM stacks could be analyzed. Interstitial cells with myoid differentiation (mIC) and fibroblast like interstitial cells (fIC) were the major cell types in the upper lamina propria. The flat, sheet-like ICs were oriented strictly parallel to the urothelium. No spindle shaped cells were present. We furthermore identified one branched cell (bIC) with several processes contacting urothelial cells by penetrating the basal membrane. This cell did not make any contacts to other ICs within the upper lamina propria. We found no evidence for the occurrence of telocytes in the upper lamina propria.
  
  
  
  Comprehensive 3D-ultrastructural analysis of the human bladder confirmed distinct subtypes of interstitial cells. We provide evidence for a foremost unknown direct connection between a branched interstitial cell and urothelial cells of which the functional role has still to be elucidated. 3D-ultrastructure analyses at high resolution are needed to further define the subpopulations of lamina propria cells and cell-cell interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Research Laboratory, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2484-6994
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neuhaus
authors.affiliation: Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tuebingen, Reutlingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schröppel
authors.affiliation: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Training, Application and Support Center (TASC) Application Support EM, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dass
authors.affiliation: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Training, Application and Support Center (TASC) Application Support EM, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Hartwig
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wolburg
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fallier-Becker
authors.affiliation: Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Laboratory of Experimental Urology, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gevaert
authors.affiliation: Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tuebingen, Reutlingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Claus J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University Leipzig, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Hoang Minh
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Do
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University Leipzig, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Jens-Uwe
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Stolzenburg
mesh_terms: D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D019459:Urothelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure*
keywords: 3D-confocal fluorescence imaging; 3D-scanning electron microscopy (SEM); Interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICC); cellular fibronectin EDA domain; connexin 43 (Cx43); telocyte; wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining