Recent observations on the ultrastructure of human urothelium

Summary An electron microscopic study of normal bladder urothelium of elderly patients ranging in age from 61 to 82 years has shown the occurrence of unusually thin regions consisting of either one or two layers of undifferentiated cells interspersed between 3–4 cell layers thick regions. A morphometric study has confirmed the existence of a pattern of cytodifferentiation in cells of the thick region. The generally microvillous nature of the luminal surface is attributed to incompletely differentiated cells that have come to occupy the superficial layer. The lack of thickened and/or asymmetric membrane plaques in luminal plasma as well as the dearth of characteristic precursor vesicles in the cytoplasm are also explicable in terms of a failure of normal cell differentiation. It is suggested that the unusual features noted are consequences of tissue ageing rather than prognostic of cancer. There are indications that the aged urothelium may be prone to increased leakiness and the bladder tissues may therefore be at greater risk from urine-borne chemicals and carcinogens.