Traditional concepts of impermeability of the bladder have centered around unique cellular
tight junctions and ion pumps. However, recent data from our laboratory have shown that the
bladder epithelium in animals and humans relies primarily on its surface
glycosaminoglycans to maintain its impermeability. This study demonstrates the first disease
associated with an epithelial dysfunction of the bladder, that is a leaky epithelium. The study
consisted of 31 normal subjects and 56 individuals with interstitial cystitis. Interstitial cystitis …