What is the bladder?

The bladder is part of the body’s urinary system that filters waste products out of the blood and produces urine.

The bladder consists of several layers. The inside of the bladder has a special type of lining, called the transitional epithelium that stretches as the bladder fills up and prevents urine from leaking into the body. 

Below this first layer is a thin layer of connective tissue called the lamina propria.  Underneath this layer is muscle tissue called the muscularis propria.  Around the muscle tissue is a layer of fatty connective tissue, which separates the bladder from other adjacent organs such as the kidneys.