Abstract: Methods for identifying modulators of gastroesophageal smooth muscle relaxation include isolating various types of smooth muscle fibers from the stomach or esophagus and inducing the fibers to contract. The isolated and contracted fibers are used to screen test compounds for the compound's capacity to modulate relaxation of the smooth muscle fibers. In addition, newly identified unique nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are expressed in a cell, and used to screen test compounds for the compound's capacity to modulate the biological activity of the receptors.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods are disclosed for telemetrically monitoring parameters within a body of an animal such as a within a urinary bladder of a human. The system includes an implantable device configured for insertion within the body and an external device for use external to the body. The implantable device senses and stores one or more bodily parameters and transmits the stored bodily parameters for receipt by the external device responsive to receipt of a parameter transfer signal. The external device communicates with the implantable device, generates the parameter transfer signal, and receives the bodily parameters transmitted by the implantable device.