New findings in obstetrics described from College of Medicine.

"We investigated the existence and regional distribution of sphingosine-1-phosphate regulatory enzymes and receptors in the lower urinary tract and determined the functional role of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors in the bladder. Lower urinary tract tissue from 10 female rats was harvested for real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction or organ bath physiology, whereas blood serum was obtained for high-performance liquid chromatography determination of sphingosine-1-phosphate levels," researchers in the United States report (see also Obstetrics).

"Statistical analysis included the Student t test and analysis of variance. All 3 sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors and major enzymes were expressed throughout the lower urinary tract, but expression and physiologic force generation varied among regions. Sphingosine-1-phosphate was detected in serum. We provide novel data that the sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling pathway regulatory proteins exist throughout the female rat lower urinary tract, but that relative expression exhibits regional heterogeneity corresponding with lower urinary tract contractile response to sphingosine-1-phosphate," wrote K.S. Sandhu and colleagues, College of Medicine.

The researchers concluded: "Our study suggests that sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling is important in the lower ...