Document Detail


How to measure the increase in elastic system fibres in the lamina propria of the uterine cervix of pregnant rats.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  14620380     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
As the uterus enlarges to accommodate the growing fetus during pregnancy, the cervix behaves essentially as a barrier. During ripening and delivery, it needs to become soft and distensible to allow dilation and the passage of the conceptus. As the transformations of the collagen-containing fibres are known to be essential for ripening and delivery, it has been hypothesized that the elastic system fibres, owing to their intrinsic mechanical properties (reversible extensibility), could be involved in the shape-recovering process immediately after delivery. In sections stained by Weigert's resorcin-fuchsin (with previous oxidation), we describe the elastic system fibres in the lamina propria of the rat uterine cervix. They are distributed following different patterns when in the endocervix or in the ectocervical-vaginal region. A third distinctive pattern (named the 'elastic tendon') is described here for the first time in the uterine-cervical transition. A special morphometrical protocol has been designed in order to overcome problems during the quantification process. Using the so-called intercept counting method, it was possible to demonstrate that the elastic system fibres are increased in the cervix at the end of pregnancy. They may be involved in the immediate shape-recovering of the cervix after delivery as well as in helping to strengthen the anchoring of the epithelium to the lamina propria, thus minimizing birth trauma.
Authors:
C N Battlehner; E G Caldini; J C R Pereira; E H Luque; G S Montes
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of anatomy     Volume:  203     ISSN:  0021-8782     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Anat.     Publication Date:  2003 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2003-11-17     Completed Date:  2003-12-16     Revised Date:  2009-11-18    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0137162     Medline TA:  J Anat     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  405-18     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Cell Biology, The University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Brazil. cnbatt@usp.br
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Cervix Uteri / anatomy & histology*
Coloring Agents
Elastic Tissue / anatomy & histology*
Female
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
Pregnancy
Pregnancy, Animal / physiology*
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Staining and Labeling / methods
Uterus / anatomy & histology
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Coloring Agents
Comments/Corrections

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