title: Signalling molecules in the urothelium.
abstract: The urothelium was long considered to be a silent barrier protecting the body from the toxic effects of urine. However, today a number of dynamic abilities of the urothelium are well recognized, including its ability to act as a sensor of the intravesical environment. During recent years several pathways of these urothelial abilities have been proposed and a major part of these pathways includes release of signalling molecules. It is now evident that the urothelium represents only one part of the sensory web. Urinary bladder signalling is finely tuned machinery of signalling molecules, acting in autocrine and paracrine manner, and their receptors are specifically distributed among different types of cells in the urinary bladder. In the present review the current knowledge of the formation, release, and signalling effects of urothelial acetylcholine, ATP, adenosine, and nitric oxide in health and disease is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 13, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Winder
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 13, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Daša
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zupančič
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Rok
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romih
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000241:Adenosine / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D019459:Urothelium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000241:Adenosine; D000109:Acetylcholine