{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,20]],"date-time":"2026-06-20T04:58:40Z","timestamp":1781931520498,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,4]],"date-time":"2025-02-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1738627200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Technological advances have significantly impacted the field of urology, providing innovative solutions for diagnosis, treatment, and management of various urological disorders and diseases. This article highlights four groundbreaking technologies: whole-cell biosensors, optogenetic interventions for neuromodulation, bioengineered urinary bladder, and 3D bioprinting. Each technology plays a crucial role in enhancing patient care and improving clinical outcomes in urology. Advances in these fields underscore a shift towards precision diagnostics, personalized treatments, and enhanced regenerative strategies, ultimately aiming to enhance patient outcomes and address unmet clinical needs in urological diseases.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fbioe.2025.1539126","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,4]],"date-time":"2025-02-04T06:35:01Z","timestamp":1738650901000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Emergent biotechnology applications in urology: a mini review"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Chang","family":"Liu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alejandro","family":"Rivera Ruiz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yingchun","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Philippe","family":"Zimmern","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhengwei","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2033","DOI":"10.1002\/sctm.17-0101","article-title":"Concise review: tissue engineering of urinary bladder; we still have a long way to go?","volume":"6","author":"Adamowicz","year":"2017","journal-title":"Stem Cells Transl. Med."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"111741","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jphotobiol.2019.111741","article-title":"Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells encapsulated thermal-responsive hydrogel network bridges combined photo-plasmonic nanoparticulate system for the treatment of urinary bladder dysfunction after spinal cord injury","volume":"203","author":"An","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Photochem Photobiol. B"},{"key":"B3","article-title":"Electrochemical Bacillus licheniformis whole-cell-based sensor and its potential application in detecting urea concentration in urine","volume":"11","author":"Ariyanti","year":"2020","journal-title":"Syst. Rev. Pharm."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"349","DOI":"10.1038\/s41551-021-00829-3","article-title":"Towards translational optogenetics","volume":"7","author":"Bansal","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat. Biomed. Eng."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1132","DOI":"10.1021\/acssynbio.0c00640","article-title":"A whole-cell bacterial biosensor for blood markers detection in urine","volume":"10","author":"Barger","year":"2021","journal-title":"ACS Synth. Biol."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2427","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-020-16249-x","article-title":"A redox-based electrogenetic CRISPR system to connect with and control biological information networks","volume":"11","author":"Bhokisham","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.1038\/35102181","article-title":"Stem cells in tissue engineering","volume":"414","author":"Bianco","year":"2001","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"544","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tibtech.2023.10.009","article-title":"Advances in 3D bioprinting for urethral tissue reconstruction","volume":"42","author":"Booth","year":"2024","journal-title":"Trends Biotechnol."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.3389\/fnint.2018.00005","article-title":"Differential regulation of bladder pain and voiding function by sensory afferent populations revealed by selective optogenetic activation","volume":"12","author":"DeBerry","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. Integr. Neurosci."},{"key":"B10","article-title":"Diseases of the kidney and the urinary system","volume-title":"Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries","author":"Dirks","year":"2006"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"258","DOI":"10.1089\/ast.2011.0728","article-title":"Evolution of Bacillus subtilis to enhanced growth at low pressure: up-regulated transcription of des-desKR, encoding the fatty acid desaturase system","volume":"12","author":"Fajardo-Cavazos","year":"2012","journal-title":"Astrobiology"},{"key":"B12","article-title":"Physiology, Urination","volume-title":"StatPearls [Internet]","author":"Flores","year":"2023"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7004","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-017-06358-x","article-title":"High-resolution patterned cellular constructs by droplet-based 3D printing","volume":"7","author":"Graham","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"744","DOI":"10.1021\/acssensors.7b00931","article-title":"Determination of gold ions in human urine using genetically engineered microorganisms on a paper device","volume":"3","author":"Guo","year":"2018","journal-title":"ACS Sens."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1961","DOI":"10.3390\/life13101961","article-title":"Optical EUS activation to relax sensitized micturition response","volume":"13","author":"Hong","year":"2023","journal-title":"Life (Basel)"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1016","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmb.2019.01.025","article-title":"Reverse engineering of a thermosensing regulator switch","volume":"431","author":"Inda","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Mol. Biol."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"eabc9675","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.abc9675","article-title":"Expandable and implantable bioelectronic complex for analyzing and regulating real-time activity of the urinary bladder","volume":"6","author":"Jang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Adv."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"202","DOI":"10.1002\/lsm.23463","article-title":"The state of the art of biomedical applications of optogenetics","volume":"54","author":"Keshmiri Neghab","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lasers Surg. Med."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115035","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bios.2022.115035","article-title":"Multiplexed cell-based diagnostic devices for detection of renal biomarkers","volume":"223","author":"Kose","year":"2023","journal-title":"Biosens. Bioelectron."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ymben.2015.06.008","article-title":"Applications and advances of metabolite biosensors for metabolic engineering","volume":"31","author":"Liu","year":"2015","journal-title":"Metab. Eng."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1229","DOI":"10.1021\/acssynbio.8b00063","article-title":"Reprogramming probiotic lactobacillus reuteri as a biosensor for Staphylococcus aureus derived AIP-I detection","volume":"7","author":"Lubkowicz","year":"2018","journal-title":"ACS Synth. Biol."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"361","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-018-0823-6","article-title":"A wireless closed-loop system for optogenetic peripheral neuromodulation","volume":"565","author":"Mickle","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113359","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bios.2021.113359","article-title":"Microbial whole-cell biosensors: Current applications, challenges, and future perspectives","volume":"191","author":"Moraskie","year":"2021","journal-title":"Biosens. Bioelectron."},{"key":"B24","first-page":"181","article-title":"Whole-cell biosensors as tools for the detection of quorum-Sensing molecules: uses in diagnostics and the investigation of the quorum-Sensing mechanism","volume-title":"Bioluminescence: fundamentals and applications in biotechnology","author":"O'Connor","year":"2016"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"154564","DOI":"10.1155\/2013\/154564","article-title":"Tissue engineering of urinary bladder and urethra: advances from bench to patients","volume":"2013","author":"Orabi","year":"2013","journal-title":"ScientificWorldJournal"},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5015","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms21145015","article-title":"An intact cell bioluminescence-based assay for the simple and rapid diagnosis of urinary tract infection","volume":"21","author":"Reyes","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Mol. Sci."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"F150","DOI":"10.1152\/ajprenal.00035.2023","article-title":"Optogenetic urothelial cell stimulation induces bladder contractions and pelvic nerve afferent firing","volume":"325","author":"Robilotto","year":"2023","journal-title":"Am. J. Physiol. Ren. Physiol."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1796","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms19061796","article-title":"Bioengineering approaches for bladder regeneration","volume":"19","author":"Serrano-Aroca","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Mol. Sci."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"121331","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biomaterials.2021.121331","article-title":"Biomaterials assisted reconstructive urology: the pursuit of an implantable bioengineered neo-urinary bladder","volume":"281","author":"Sharma","year":"2022","journal-title":"Biomaterials"},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actbio.2017.02.005","article-title":"Tubular collagen scaffolds with radial elasticity for hollow organ regeneration","volume":"52","author":"Versteegden","year":"2017","journal-title":"Acta Biomater."},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2334","DOI":"10.1111\/1751-7915.13820","article-title":"Programming living sensors for environment, health and biomanufacturing","volume":"14","author":"Wan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Microb. Biotechnol."},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1484","DOI":"10.1177\/08853282211048574","article-title":"Application of biomaterials and tissue engineering in bladder regeneration","volume":"36","author":"Wang","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Biomater. Appl."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"38230","DOI":"10.1021\/acsami.7b10630","article-title":"Trilayer three-dimensional hydrogel composite scaffold containing encapsulated adipose-derived stem cells promotes bladder reconstruction via SDF-1\u03b1\/CXCR4 pathway","volume":"9","author":"Xiao","year":"2017","journal-title":"ACS Appl. Mater Interfaces"},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"131624","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cej.2021.131624","article-title":"MicroRNA-126 from stem cell extracellular vesicles encapsulated in a tri-layer hydrogel scaffold promotes bladder angiogenesis by activating CXCR4\/SDF-1\u03b1 pathway","volume":"425","author":"Xiao","year":"2021","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. J."},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100388","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mtbio.2022.100388","article-title":"The application of 3D bioprinting in urological diseases","volume":"16","author":"Xu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Mater Today Bio"},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4046","DOI":"10.1021\/acsbiomaterials.3c01814","article-title":"Detection of cadmium in human biospecimens by a cadmium-selective whole-cell biosensor based on deoxyviolacein","volume":"10","author":"Zhang","year":"","journal-title":"ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng."},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"154","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actbio.2016.12.008","article-title":"3D bioprinting of urethra with PCL\/PLCL blend and dual autologous cells in fibrin hydrogel: an in vitro evaluation of biomimetic mechanical property and cell growth environment","volume":"50","author":"Zhang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Acta Biomater."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"604","DOI":"10.1126\/science.add8593","article-title":"Regenerative cell therapy with 3D bioprinting","volume":"385","author":"Zhang","year":"","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1229","DOI":"10.1111\/ner.13516","article-title":"Optogenetic neuromodulation of the urinary bladder","volume":"24","author":"Zhou","year":"2021","journal-title":"Neuromodulation"},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5652","DOI":"10.1021\/acsanm.4c00704","article-title":"Minimally invasive bladder stimulation via upconversion nanoparticle-mediated optogenetics","volume":"7","author":"Zhou","year":"2024","journal-title":"ACS Appl. Nano Mater."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fbioe.2025.1539126\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,4]],"date-time":"2025-02-04T06:35:05Z","timestamp":1738650905000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fbioe.2025.1539126\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,4]]},"references-count":40,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fbioe.2025.1539126"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fbioe.2025.1539126","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-4185"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-4185","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,4]]},"article-number":"1539126"}}