Urethral tuft cells (UTCs) initiate defense mechanisms like neurogenic inflammation by releasing acetylcholine and activating sensory nerve.
Dr. Patricia Schmidt from the research group led by PD Dr. Klaus Deckmann (Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Giessen, Director: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Kummer) as well as other participating scientists were honored with the Quarterly Publication Award (QPA) IV/2025 from the Anatomische Gesellschaft for their study, “Tuft cells trigger neurogenic inflammation in the urethra,” which was recently published in the renowned journal Cell Reports.
Cholinergic urethral tuft cells (UTCs) function as sensory sentinels in the urogenital tract that, upon activation, release acetylcholine to engage adjacent peptidergic sensory nerve fibers via nicotinic receptors. This signaling induces the release of neuropeptides such as substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide, driving neurogenic inflammation characterized by plasma extravasation in vivo. Consequently, UTCs coordinate both reflex micturition and localized inflammatory defense responses through a Trpm5-dependent cholinergic–neuropeptidergic pathway.
