Determination of the changes in the regulation of urothelium signalling in the ageing bladder

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The prevalence of bladder diseases significantly increases with age, with one third of adults over 65 suffering from urinary incontinence. Although incontinence is not life threatening, it can often lead to significant anxiety, social isolation and a loss of dignity. Regulation of normal bladder function is through complex interplay of transmitters released from the nerves and lining (urothelium) of the bladder. Our hypothesis is that urothelium signalling mechanisms are reduced with age, leading to a loss in the regulation of bladder contractility that presents as age-related bladder dysfunction. We will develop novel flexible sensor biosensors that can be used to measure urothelium transmitters during contractility studies. We will conduct biochemical assays to further characterise the mechanism, where the level and expression of key enzymes and molecular targets of transmitters will be measured. These studies will be translated to characterise the ageing human bladder.