The proliferative and functional response of mouse bladder to treatment with radiation and cyclophosphamide.

The response of the mouse bladder to cyclophosphamide (Cy) and radiation, used alone or in combination, has been assessed in order to investigate whether epithelial denudation is the primary step in the sequence of events leading to bladder dysfunction, as expressed by increased urination frequency. The response to the two agents when used singly is consistent with the epithelium being the target tissue. However, early Cy denudation of the epithelium accompanied by rapid epithelial turnover, does not influence the time of onset of radiation dose-related bladder damage. Thus it appears that denudation of the bladder epithelium is not necessarily the immediate precursor of radiation injury.