RESUMEN
Disturbances of the urinary bladder functions are common in elderly people particularly women. So, it was the aim of the present work to detect the age-associated changes in the urinary bladder that might play a role in the bladder dysfunctions. Twenty albino rats were used in the present work and divided into two equal groups, each consisted of ten rats. The first group included the adult rats [aged 3 months] and served as control group, while the second one was the senile rats aged [aged 24 months]. Specimens of the urinary bladder were taken, processed and examined using the light microscope [LM]] as well as the scanning electron microscope [SEM]. Light microscopic examination of the urinary bladder of the aged rats showed marked mucosal damage, ranging from degeneration of the epithelial cells to complete denudation of the mucosa with exposed lamina propria. Cellular infiltration and increased dilated and congested blood vessels of the lamina propria were also encountered. The smooth muscle cells of the musculosa showed variable degrees of degeneration with wide separation of the muscle bundles. Massive increase in the collagen fibres deposition was detected in the lamina propria, muscle layer and adventitia. SEM examination revealed loss of the polygonal cell pattern appearance of the superficial epithelial cells and increased the collagen fibres deposition in all the portions of the mucosa. It was concluded that the observed age related changes might be contributing factors in the urinary bladder disturbances in elderly population