光遗传学技术在尿控领域应用的研究进展

Research progression on the utilization of optogenetics in urinary control

人类的尿控由一套包括脑、脊髓和外周神经的复杂系统通过调节膀胱及括约肌活动完成。由于其复杂性,传统的药物或电刺激手段难以精确作用于特定神经,从而给下尿路功能障碍的临床治疗及排尿中枢功能的基础研究带来了困难。光遗传学作为一种将基因工程与光学相结合的新兴技术能够在时间及空间层面精确调节神经或肌肉活动,近年来开始被应用于尿控领域。目前,光遗传学技术已在动物模型中通过调节膀胱平滑肌或其感觉神经的活动实现了对下尿路功能障碍的治疗,同时也被广泛用于排尿高级中枢功能的研究,展现了良好的应用前景。本文就光遗传学的原理及其在尿控领域的研究进行回顾总结,并为其进一步应用提供思路。

Urinary continence of human relies on the activity of bladder and sphincter controlled by a complex system including brain,spine and peripheral nerves.Due to the complexity,it is difficult for traditional drugs or electrical stimulation to precisely act on specific nerves,which brings difficulties to the clinical treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunction and the basic research on the function of the voiding center.Optogenetics,as an emerging technology that combines genetic engineering and optics,is able to precisely regulate nerve or muscle activity on time and space scale,thus has been applied in the field of urinary continence.So far,optogenetics has successfully treated lower urinary tract dysfunction in animal models by regulating the activity of bladder smooth muscle or its sensory nerves.It has also been widely used in the research of central nerve system of micturition with great prospect.The article summarizes the working system of optogenetics and related research in the field of urinary control to provide ideas for its further application.