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Investigating The Role Of Mechanosensitive Ion Channels In Urothelial Cell Pressure Mechanotransduction, Shawn Olsen

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Overactive bladder (OAB) is a bladder disorder that is characterized by bladder storage symptoms of urgency with or without urge incontinence, frequency, nocturia, and, as of 2003, affected approximately 16.5% of adults in the United States with an annual treatment cost of over $65 billion. While therapies are available to mitigate the symptoms of OAB, there are no treatments for the cause of OAB, due to the lack of understanding of the etiology of the disorder. Recent research has provided evidence that the bladder urothelium is not just a passive barrier, but is also sensitive to various chemical and mechanical …