• Zhonghan Zhou and Limin Liao.
• Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Department of Urology, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China.
• Neuromodulation. 2021 Oct 1; 24 (7): 1229-1236.

ObjectivesNerve stimulation and neuromodulation have become acceptable interventions for bladder dysfunction. However, electrical stimulation indiscriminately affects all types of cells and can lead to treatment failure and off-target effects. In recent years, advancement of knowledge of optogenetics provides a powerful tool to enable precise, minimally invasive neuromodulation.Materials And MethodsIn this review, we introduce basic knowledge about optogenetics; discuss the progression of engineered opsins, gene-targeting methods, and light-delivery approaches; we also summarize the application of optogenetics in neuromodulation of the bladder and discuss the possible clinical translation in the future.Results And ConclusionOptogenetics offers a powerful tool to investigate the neural circuit of bladder storage and voiding and provides a promising approach for manipulating neurons and muscles. It is possible to achieve coordinated modulation of the bladder and its sphincter through a "closed-loop" system. Optogenetics neuromodulation could also be applied in urinary bladder control in the clinic in the future.© 2021 International Neuromodulation Society.

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