Regeneration, Repair and Remodeling of the Lower Urinary Tract

描述（由申请人提供）：这项建立IR-BU计划中心的申请是基于一个明确的假设，即再生医学技术的更广泛的临床应用取决于对相关模型系统中器官再生和修复过程的更好理解。为此，我们组建了一个跨学科的团队，他们是唯一有资格追求这个规划中心的重点目标的人。计划中心团队的主要人员反映了一个理想的研究人员联盟，他们在下尿路的研究和临床转化方面具有广泛和互补的经验，在干细胞病因学，肿瘤形成的贡献和组成以及干细胞和基因治疗在肝脏再生和造血中的作用方面具有公认的专业知识。我们提出了一项教育充实计划，以提高机构、国家和国际对我们努力的认可，并为培养下一代泌尿外科翻译研究人员提供良好的环境和资源。该科学项目专门针对大约3500万患有膀胱疾病的美国人，其中大多数是慢性疾病（即感染、先天性疾病和炎症），最终损害细胞和组织的完整性，导致膀胱功能下降，以及数百万患者的生活质量下降。尽管我们鼓励

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application to establish an IR-BU Planning Center is based on the explicit assumption that more widespread clinical applications of regenerative medicine technologies are contingent on an improved understanding of the organ regeneration and repair process in relevant model systems. To this end, we have assembled an interdisciplinary team that is uniquely qualified to pursue the focused aims of this Planning Center. The key personnel on the Planning Center team reflect an ideal union of investigators with extensive and complementary experience in research and clinical translation in the lower urinary tract, with recognized expertise in stem cell etiology), contribution and composition of tumor formation, as well as the role of stem cells and gene therapy in liver regeneration and hematopoiesis. An Educational Enrichment Program is proposed to increase institutional, national and international recognition of our efforts, and moreover, to provide an excellent environment and resources for training the next generation of translational urologic researchers. The scientific project specifically targets the estimated 35 million Americans that suffer from bladder disease, most of which are chronic conditions (i.e., infections, congenital disorders, and inflammation) that ultimately compromise cellular and tissue integrity leading to reduced bladder function, as well as a diminished quality of life for millions of patients. Despite our encouraging advancements in functional bladder regeneration in rats, it remains obvious that development of additional animal models is necessary to accelerate the pace of scientific progress toward clinical translation. To this end we propose the use of multicolored transplant procedures that will, for the first time, allow the identification of what cells or tissue is responsible for the badder repair/regeneration processes. Thus, we will incorporate novel imaging technology into our ongoing studies of functional bladder regeneration to provide an interdisciplinary approach to the study of bladder wall regeneration and repair as follows: Specific Aim #1: Evaluate and quantify the spatial and temporal characteristics of the cellular proliferation that mediates functional bladder regeneration in the mouse model. Specific Aim #2: Determine the contribution of local stem/progenitor cells versus bone marrow-derived stem/progenitor cells.