Fig. 5.

Characteristics of the decompensated state of diabetic bladder dysfunction at 6 mo after streptozotocin (STZ). A and B: force to exogenous addition of ATP (A) and carbachol (B) was measured in isolated urinary smooth muscles from animals in the high-fat diet (HFD)/STZ and age-matched control groups at 6 mo after STZ injections. Force in response to ATP was significantly increased in the HFD/STZ group; however, there was no significant difference in the force response to carbachol between the two groups. C: levels of bladder smooth muscle muscarinic M₃ receptors within the HFD/STZ and age-matched groups. Expression of the M₃ receptor within the urinary bladder of the HFD/STZ group was significantly increased compared with the age-matched control group. D: electrical field stimulation alone and in the presence of atropine measured in urinary bladder smooth muscle between the HFD/STZ and age-matched control groups. Statistical comparisons were made using an unpaired t-test or two-way repeated-measures ANOVA and a Bonferroni posttest (n = 4–6). *P ≤ 0.05 compared with the control group.