What is the function of the bladder?
The bladder is a muscular sac that collects and stores urine. It is hollow with a shape that depends on how much urine it holds. When it is empty it looks like a deflated balloon. As it fills, it becomes rounded and pushes up against the abdomen. Top Back How does bladder cancer grow? The bladder is lined by special cells, called transitional cells. These cells are unique in that they have the ability to expand and deflate, which makes sense as the bladder fills and empties of urine. Almost all bladder cancers arise in this lining layer. In time these cancers can grow and spread into the underlying bladder muscle. Cancers originating in the bladder muscle are very rare. Urine is made up of water and wastes removed from the blood. Urine is created by filtering the blood in the kidneys. The urine then travels down tubes known as ureters and is stored in the bladder until it can be released from the body through another tube, the urethra. Top Back What is cancer? Cancer is a disease cause
