Urinary System
Urinary Bladder - Vacuolation, Cytoplasmic
Narrative
Comment:
Cytoplasmic vacuolation of urothelial cells is regarded as a nonspecific lesion that may occur secondary to cell injury by a variety of bladder toxicants or carcinogens. It may or may not be related to degeneration. Vacuolation is usually noted in “umbrella” cells or more superficial urothelial cells (Figure 1 and Figure 2). Uniform urothelial cell vacuolation (typically within the basal cell layer) may be an artifact resulting from autolysis (Figure 3).
Recommendations:
Cytoplasmic vacuolation should be diagnosed and given a severity grade.
References:
Frazier KS, Seely JC, Hard GC, Betton G, Burnett R, Nakatsuji S, Nishikawa A, Durchfeld-Meyer B, Bube A. 2012. Proliferative and non-proliferative lesions in the rat and mouse urinary system. Toxicol Pathol 40:14S-86S.
Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22637735
Cytoplasmic vacuolation: clear vacuoles are present in urothelial "umbrella" cells from a male B6C3F1 mouse in a 28-day study.
All Images
Cytoplasmic vacuolation: clear vacuoles are present in urothelial "umbrella" cells from a male B6C3F1 mouse in a 28-day study.
Cytoplasmic vacuolation of more superficial urothelial cells from a female Harlan Sprague-Dawley rat in a chronic study.
Diffuse artifactual vacuolation of basal urothelial cells from a male F344/N rat in a chronic study.