Figure 1

Damage produced by each model of bladder damage and binding of Texas Red-labelled chondroitin sulphate to mouse bladder. Images in the first two columns are transmitted light images of bladder sections stained with H&E or Acid Alcian Blue to demonstrate bladder damage. Acid Alcian Blue binds to glycosaminoglycans and therefore stains the connective tissue and the "GAG Layer," which is indicated by arrows in the control image. The fluorescence images are digitally combined images of Hoechst 33258 fluorescence (blue) to show nuclei and Texas Red-labelled chondroitin sulphate (red). Arrows have been added to the fluorescence image of the protamine-treated bladder to show the location of the urothelium. From top to bottom, the rows show the controls, bladders treated with 1 mg/ml trypsin (30 min), 1 mg/ml protamine (10 min) and 10 mM HCl (10 min.) respectively. The fluorescence image of the control was digitally enhanced to demonstrate the small amount of binding that occurred, but which was undetectable at the settings used for the other images (Table 1).