Urinary B. Histology

[Oceana]

I was reading this book on Histology today & I found out some interesting things about bladder lining.

"The specialization of the bladder epithelium have significance beyond adaptation to changes in bladder volume.It is known that in man the tonicity of the bladder urine is 2-4x higher than that of the plasma in the capillaries of the lamina propia(main layer).If the epithelium were permeable to water,the content of the bladder would be diluted by movement of water from the blood to the urine.Because this does not occur (in normal bladder),it is evident that the epithelium (lining) is an effective permeability barrier against water loss.This function is diminished or lost after chemical or mechanical damage to the surface epithelium.The barrier is,thus,reside in the occluding junction between the superficial cells & in the special properties of the thick lumenal membrane".

This is the highlight of the histologic description of our normal bladder.I am speculating that if this lining is not permeable preventing the soluble content of the bladder wall from leaking out into the cavity,therefore there is a chance that maybe ,maybe the cause is not coming from the urine side,but maybe from the bladder wall side where the blood,nerve,venous supply is coming from.I am thinking that maybe it is a blood disease that affects walls of this kind of epithelium. Maybe the cause is coming from the inside to outside ,not the other way around. As I understand the Elmiron approach is to restore the lining outside but how can it restore if it is coming from the inside.We need to build up the lining by supporting the structures e.g.the blood supply,that gives nutrients to the lining of cells.Maybe we need to get our blood chemistry & compare them to people who does not have IC.

The name of the book is Histology by Bloom & Fawcett.It's about 6 inches thick green. It is one of the medical textbooks I borrowed from Tufts Lib.

If I don't have to work I will focus myself on researching twards the cause.But I have to work in order to live.

[darlene]

Oceana, have you noticed that many people with IC, also have vulvodynia, IBS, and IBD? What do all of these problems have in common, they affect the epithelium, the lining of the bowel, bladder, and intestinal tract, and vulva. My gastro and uro, wouldn't be shocked to find out , a common problem causes both my IC and Crohn's disease. At this time, my favorite research is from DR. Susan Keay. She believes, the urine of IC patients, contain an abnormal peptide, which she calls anti proliferative factor, (APF). It prevents bladder epithelium from being properly maintained. If the bladder experiences any trauma, such as a UTI, or surgery, or childbirth, the bladder lining cannot heal normally, because the APF prevents normal healing. She also believes, once the damage is done, a mild autoimmune process may begin. The autoimmune damage could come from the inside. Of course, there are may other theories, and we don't know what the cause is at this time. I am very impressed with the research that is going on, as it would have been thought of as science fiction, when my IC began, 33 years ago. I do agree, that researchers should come to these boards, to ask us questions. We are a much larger group, than they will ever get to work with. I also wish that they would collect our urine and blood samples, and compare them to normal people. They could contain the clues that give us the the answers

[Oceana]

Darlene,

Among other organs that is affected are the sinuses as many IC patients have allergies.Because the sinus lining is also similar with the others you mentioned. I think the bladder of an IC patients have never been given a chance to heal.Unlike when we have a broken arm ,they cast it & stabilized it ,& prevent it from being used. While our bladder is never given that chance. Actually I am thinking now that since I contracted UTI 10 years ago, the vicious cycle begun. Started with UTI,then the wound that was created by it didn't heal until now. Now thinking about the inability to heal is because not that there is something is preventing it to heal, is because there is no chance to heal.And the metabolites that are supposedly excreted by the bladder is over & over again reabsorbed to our bloodstream ,back to the bladder,& redistributed to other organs, for it travels through the blood supply & it becomes a vicious cycle. It is almost like a question about the chicken & the egg,but we know that one got here first.

I project that one should try to augment the function of the bladder e.g. put a balloon or a cellophane lining inside so that what is excreted through the bladder should go to that balloon & should not touch the lining of the bladder until the healing process is complete.

What do you think ? I will go for that as an experiment.How could we reach that Dr.Keay?

[darlene]

I believe DR. Keay works at the University of Maryland. You can find information about her work on the Interstitial cystitis Association web site, under research.