title: [Role of estrogens in lower urinary tract physiology and physiopathology].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to review the literature on estrogens and lower urinary tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of literature through the PubMed library until December 31, 2012 was carried out using the following keywords: lower urinary tract, bladder, urethra, nervous central system, innervation, female, women, estrogen, estradiol, urogenital atrophy, urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, urinary tract infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the bladder, estrogens are involved in the trophicity, vascularisation, alpha-adrenergic, cholinergic and muscarinic receptor density, detrusor contractility and inflammation. On the urethra, they impact vascularisation, contractility, urethral pulse and tone, anatomical and functional length. On the neurological control, they act on capsaicin-sensitive afferent fibres, neurological regeneration, nerve growth factor expression and viscerovisceral sensitisation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Estrogens play a major role on the lower urinary tract physiology and physiopathology both on the urethra and the bladder.
authors.affiliation: Département d'urologie, CHU Rangueil, TSA 50032, 31059 Toulouse, France. xaviergame@hotmail.com
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gamé
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rischmann
authors.forename: J-F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Arnal
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Malavaud
mesh_terms: D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000502:physiology; D014553:Urinary Tract Physiological Phenomena
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen