Cystitis glandularis is the transformation of

mucosal A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It is ...

cells lining the

urinary bladder The urinary bladder, or simply bladder, is a hollow organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the kidneys before disposal by urination. In humans the bladder is a distensible organ that sits on the pelvic floor. Urine ente ...

. They undergo glandular metaplasia, a process in which irritated tissues take on a different form, in this case that of a gland. The main importance is in the findings of test results, in this case histopathology. They must distinguish a benign metaplastic change from the cancerous condition urothelial cell carcinoma. It is a very common finding in bladder

biopsies A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by a surgeon, interventional radiologist, or an interventional cardiologist. The process involves extraction of sample cells or tissues for examination to determine the presence or extent of a dise ...

and cystectomies, and most often found in the

trigone Trigone may refer to: * Trigone of the lateral ventricle * Trigone of urinary bladder The trigone (a.k.a. vesical trigone) is a smooth triangular region of the internal urinary bladder formed by the two ureteric orifices and the internal ure ...

area. Cystitis glandularis

lesion A lesion is any damage or abnormal change in the tissue of an organism, usually caused by disease or trauma. ''Lesion'' is derived from the Latin "injury". Lesions may occur in plants as well as animals. Types There is no designated classif ...

s are usually present as small microscopic foci; however, occasionally it can form raised intramucosal or polypoid lesions. The cystitis glandularis lesions are within the submucosa.

Types

There are two main types of cystitis glandularis, non-mucinous and

mucinous Mucus ( ) is a slippery aqueous secretion produced by, and covering, mucous membranes. It is typically produced from cells found in mucous glands, although it may also originate from mixed glands, which contain both serous and mucous cells. It i ...

(intestinal). The difference is in the cellular production of

mucin Mucins () are a family of high molecular weight, heavily glycosylated proteins (glycoconjugates) produced by epithelial tissues in most animals. Mucins' key characteristic is their ability to form gels; therefore they are a key component in most ...

, a normal feature of colonic and intestinal epithelial cells but not of urothelial cells. Another distinction is made between focal areas and diffuse involvement of the bladder. Whereas focal areas are more common, diffuse involvement is seen in chronically irritated bladders, such as in

paraplegics Paraplegia, or paraparesis, is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek () "half-stricken". It is usually caused by spinal cord injury or a congenital condition that affects the neural ...

or those with

bladder stone A bladder stone is a stone found in the urinary bladder. Signs and symptoms Bladder stones are small mineral deposits that can form in the bladder. In most cases bladder stones develop when the urine becomes very concentrated or when one is ...

s or indwelling

catheter In medicine, a catheter (/ˈkæθətər/) is a thin tubing (material), tube made from medical grade materials serving a broad range of functions. Catheters are medical devices that can be inserted in the body to treat diseases or perform a surgi ...

s. Individuals with diffuse intestinal-type cystitis glandularis are at increased risk for developing

bladder cancer Bladder cancer is any of several types of cancer arising from the tissues of the urinary bladder. Symptoms include blood in the urine, pain with urination, and low back pain. It is caused when epithelial cells that line the bladder become ma ...

Related lesions

Cystitis glandularis arises from and merges with Von Brunn's nests, which are groups of urothelial cells (cells of urinary tract) within the lamina propria and submucosa, formed from budding from the surface mucosa. They are considered normal. Cystitis cystica is a similar lesion to cystitis glandularis, where the central area of the Von Brunn's nests have degenerated, leaving cystic lesions. Other metaplastic entities in the urinary bladder include

squamous metaplasia Squamous metaplasia is a benign non-cancerous change (metaplasia) of surfacing lining cells ( epithelium) to a squamous morphology. Location Common sites for squamous metaplasia include the bladder and cervix. Smokers often exhibit squamous ...

and nephrogenic adenoma.

Types

Related lesions

References

Further reading