Figure 2

Histological characterisation of the urinary bladder of control, diabetic and sucrose-treated rats. Representative hematoxylin and eosin stained transverse sections taken from the equatorial region of urinary bladders from (A–C) control, (D–F) diabetic and (G–I) sucrose-treated rats after 16 weeks. Hypertrophy occurred in DSM (F, I) of both diabetic (n = 5) and sucrose-treated rats (n = 3), with fewer visible nuclei per region of DSM (J), thickening of the bladder wall (K) compared to controls (n = 4). The relative area occupancy of DSM in the bladder wall increased similarly in both diabetic and sucrose-treated groups (L). Expanded unstained regions around DSM bundles of diabetic rats are also noted (asterisks, D). u = urothelium; LP = lamina propria; DM = detrusor muscle; Scale bars (A, D, and G) = 100 μm; (B, E, and H) = 10 μm; (C, F, and I) = 20 μm. Data are expressed mean ± SD analysed by one way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test (*p < 0.05; ****p < 0.0001).