Biopta accesses urinary bladder and uterus for a range of studies. Overactive bladder is a major problem with relatively few successful treatments.
Biopta is able to measure the contractile activity of isolated strips of fresh bladder. In addition to bladder, we are able to access uterus tissue. Early screening of new compounds using human uterine smooth muscle allows better prediction of adverse drug reactions related to uterine activity.
Adverse drug reactions can be more frequent or more serious in pregnant women and preterm delivery is a major problem that may lead to death or long-term disability in newborns.
It is recognised that a wide range of drugs have the potential to influence uterine smooth muscle activity. For example, beta -sympathomimetics were for many years the only licensed tocolytics but this has recently changed with the introduction of an oxytocin antagonist.
Other drugs such as magnesium sulphate, calcium channel blockers, prostaglandin synthase inhibitors and nitric oxide donors can also produce a tocolytic effect (inhibition of uterine smooth muscle activity).
In order to assess the effects of a new drug on uterine activity, the in vitro activity of the uterus can be recorded following exposure to a range of concentrations of test drug. This is be best achieved in isolated human smooth muscle preparations from the uterus.
Uterine contractility assays provide information on:
- resting tone
- frequency of contractions
- magnitude of uterine contractions