Regulation of uterine function: a biochemical conundrum in the regulation of smooth muscle relaxation.

摘要: Premature birth accounts for the majority of fetal morbidity and mortality in developed world is disproportionately represented some populations, such as African Americans United States. The costs associated with prematurity are staggering both monetary human terms. Present therapeutic approaches treatment labor leading to preterm delivery inadequate our understanding regulation myometrial smooth muscle contraction-relaxation incomplete. ability nitric oxide relax has led an interest employing oxide-donors labor. Fundamental differences exist, however, uterine relaxation that other muscles constitute a conundrum understanding. We review evidence oxide-mediated muscle, unlike vascular or gastrointestinal independent global elevation cyclic guanosine 5'-monophosphate. Applying current microdomain signaling taking clues from genomic studies pregnancy, we offer framework which view apparent suggest testable hypotheses can explain mechanistic distinctions. propose these distinctions myometrium will reveal molecular targets unique thus may be explored development new muscle-specific tocolytics.