Hedgehog pathway disruption alters urothelial differentiation and continence mechanisms in the female mouse lower urinary tract

Urinary incontinence (UI) imposes a significant healthcare burden and reduces quality of life. Contributing factors such as aging, pregnancy/childbirth, stress, and injury are recognized, but an incomplete understanding of underlying mechanisms limits new therapies. Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been implicated in lower urinary tract development, but its specific role in female continence mechanisms has not been fully characterized. Here, we investigate the functional and molecular consequences of reduced Hh signaling using Gli2+/-;Gli3Δ699/+, (Gli mutant) female mice. We assessed spontaneous voiding through void spot assays and uroflowmetry, then assessed contractility in bladder and urethral tissues ex vivo. Female Gli mutant mice display more small-volume voids than wild-type mice. Gli mutant female bladders had reduced contractile strength to electrical field and cholinergic stimuli, while the urethra had reduced sensitivity to serotonin-mediated contraction, but not to phenylephrine...., , # Data from: Hedgehog pathway disruption alters urothelial differentiation and continence mechanisms in the female mouse lower urinary tract

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.3n5tb2rxg](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.3n5tb2rxg)

## Description of the data and file structure

Excel files of raw data for physiology and histology assessments in wild-type and Gli mutant female mice.

### Files and variables

#### File: VSA_raw_data.xlsx

**Description:** Raw data generated from running void spot assays on wild-type and mutant animals. After the voiding assay, the filter papers containing urine were imaged with UV light,t and the resulting images were analyzed via Void Whizzard software freely available as a plugin in Image J. This Excel table is the readout of the Void Whizzard analysis of the urine content on the assay papers. The first column is the animal's unique ID, the second column is the genotype of that animal the third column is the name of the void paper image file. Each column after t...,