| The role of relaxin in human reproduction. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 6322955 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
Although relaxin was discovered almost 60 years ago as a hormone that relaxed the pubic symphysis of the guinea-pig prior to parturition, it has only very recently been purified and characterized. Found in all species studied, it is a polypeptide hormone with a similar structural identity to insulin and nerve growth factor. Its main source appears to be the corpus luteum of pregnancy but it is also produced by the male prostate gland and is found in many target tissues such as cervix, myometrium, decidua and breast connective tissue. Its main mechanism of action appears to be the facilitation of remodelling of connective tissue in target tissues to allow the necessary changes in organ structure during pregnancy and parturition. A secondary mode of action, in some mammals at least, is to inhibit myometrial contractility until near the end of pregnancy. Rat and porcine relaxins have been highly purified and the latter relaxin is now being used in human trials where it has been shown to be a cervical ripening agent probably working in sequence with prostaglandins and oestradiol. A human relaxin polypeptide has recently been characterized from the identification of a genomic clone for relaxin and there is evidence that there may be more than one gene for relaxin in the human. Sufficient amounts of synthetic human relaxin for clinical trials should soon be available using recombinant DNA techniques and this important biochemical advance should facilitate specific in vitro and in vivo studies of the role of relaxin in the human. Possible roles for relaxin in the human which merit further investigation include the enhancement of sperm motility and penetration, implantation of the blastocyst, uterine stromal remodelling during pregnancy, the inhibition of premature labour, cervical ripening at parturition and, in the non-pregnant state collagen biosynthesis in disorders of collagen metabolism such as scleroderma and arthritis. |
| | |
Authors:
|
A H MacLennan |
Related Documents
:
|
18638105 - Regulation of luteal function and corpus luteum regression in cows: hormonal control, i... 15200675 - Biology of primate relaxin: a paracrine signal in early pregnancy? 11020655 - Adverse effects of dibutyltin dichloride on initiation and maintenance of rat pregnancy. 9584945 - Secretory proteins of the baboon (papio anubis) endometrium: regulation during the mens... 18390995 - Acquisition of the vacuolar atpase proton pump and phagosome acidification are essentia... 6176565 - Diagnostic value of a rapid hcg-beta-subunit radioimmunoassay in cases of suspected ect... |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article; Review |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Clinical reproduction and fertility Volume: 2 ISSN: 0725-556X ISO Abbreviation: Clin Reprod Fertil Publication Date: 1983 Jun |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 1984-05-16 Completed Date: 1984-05-16 Revised Date: 2005-11-17 |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 8218028 Medline TA: Clin Reprod Fertil Country: ENGLAND |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 77-95 Citation Subset: IM |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Animals Collagen / biosynthesis Connective Tissue / metabolism Corpus Luteum / metabolism DNA, Recombinant Embryo Implantation Female Humans Male Obstetric Labor, Premature / prevention & control Pregnancy Pregnancy Maintenance Prostate / metabolism Radioimmunoassay Receptors, Cell Surface / analysis Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled Receptors, Peptide* Relaxin / isolation & purification, physiology* Reproduction* Sperm Motility Uterine Contraction |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
|
0/DNA, Recombinant; 0/Receptors, Cell Surface; 0/Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; 0/Receptors, Peptide; 0/relaxin receptors; 9002-69-1/Relaxin; 9007-34-5/Collagen |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: Bilateral breast cancer in northern Alberta: risk factors and survival patterns.
Next Document: Effect of warfarin anticoagulation on survival in carcinoma of the lung, colon, head and neck, and p...