UNSW Embryology

Normal Development - Birth - Molecular

© Dr Mark Hill (2008)

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Some recent studies have begun to investigate the gene expression patterns found in different regions of the uterus during childbirth.

Schematic representation of microarray analysis of regional uterine gene expression during birth.
(Image: Romero R, Tarca AL, Tromp G., 2006)

Some Recent Findings

Markovic D, Vatish M, Gu M, Slater D, Newton R, Lehnert H, Grammatopoulos DK. The onset of labour alters corticotropin-releasing hormone type 1 receptor (CRH-R1) variant expression in human myometrium: putative role of IL-1{beta} Endocrinology. 2007 Apr 12

"our findings suggest that IL-1beta is an important regulator of CRH-R1 expression and functional activity and this interaction might play a role in the transition of the uterus from quiescence to active contractions necessary for the onset of parturition."

Bukowski R, Hankins GD, Saade GR, Anderson GD, Thornton S. Labor-associated gene expression in the human uterine fundus, lower segment, and cervix. PLoS Med. 2006 Jun;3(6):e169.

Uterine Gene Expression

Bukowski R, Hankins GD, Saade GR, Anderson GD, Thornton S. Labor-associated gene expression in the human uterine fundus, lower segment, and cervix. PLoS Med. 2006 Jun;3(6):e169.

"Our demonstration of a fall in the expression of a modulator of estrogen receptor activity provides a mechanism whereby the functional estrogen/progesterone ratio could be increased without a change in plasma concentration of either."

Image: Romero R, Tarca AL, Tromp G. Insights into the physiology of childbirth using transcriptomics. PLoS Med. 2006 Jun;3(6):e276.

Reading

Human Embryology (2nd ed.) Larson Chapter 15 p471-488
The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology (6th ed.) Moore and Persaud Chapter 7 p129-167
Before we Are Born (5th ed.) Moore and Persaud Ch
Essentials of Human Embryology Larson Ch
Human Embryology Fitzgerald and Fitzgerald
General Reading- Pregnancy and Childbirth S Kitzinger Doubleday, Sydney ISBN 0 86824 048 6

Computer Activities

References

Links require internet connection.

NCBI Bookshelf

Health Services/Technology Assessment Text (HSTAT) Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), 2003 Oct.

Management of Preterm Labor
Management of Prolonged Pregnancy
Cesarean Childbirth
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) Volume 1 and Volume 2

Reviews

Bernal AL. Overview of current research in parturition. Exp Physiol. 2001 Mar;86(2):213-22. Review.
Young IR. The comparative physiology of parturition in mammals. Front Horm Res. 2001;27:10-30.
Schwartz J, McMillen IC. Fetal hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis on the road to parturition. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2001 Jan-Feb;28(1-2):108-12. Review.
Challis JRG, Matthews SG, Gibb W, Lye Endocrine and paracrine regulation of birth at term and preterm. Endocr Rev. 2000 Oct;21(5):514-50. Review.
Muglia LJ. Genetic analysis of fetal development and parturition control in the mouse. Pediatr Res. 2000 Apr;47(4 Pt 1):437-43. Review.
Drover JW, Casper RF. Initiation of parturition in humans. Can Med Assoc J. 1983 Feb 15;128(4):387-92.

Articles

Ochedalski T, Lachowicz A. Maternal and fetal hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis: different response depends upon the mode of parturition. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2004 Aug;25(4):278-82.

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