Bystrova Ksenia
Department of Hospital Pediatrics, St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical Academy, Litovskaya Str. 2, 194100 St. Petersburg, Russia.
Med Hypotheses. 2009 Feb;72(2):143-6. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2008.09.033. Epub 2008 Nov 11.
Novel hypothesis of human fetal growth regulation in amniotic fluid environment integrates lanugo, vernix caseosa and a second tactile system of unmyelinated low-threshold C-afferents - all three forming a unique natural instrument powerfully speeding fetal growth during mid-gestation and lowering its tempo at the end of gestation. Repeated oscillations of lanugo hairs encased by vernix caseosa during fetal movements in amniotic fluid activate highly sensitive mechanoreceptors connected to unmyelinated C-afferents, which prime function is to conduct originated impulses from all fetal skin dermatoms via spinal cord and to activate vagal sensory zone, hypothalamus and insular cortex, for concomitant promotion of the anti-stress effect through oxytocin release, and stimulation of fetal growth by the incretin effect of gastrointestinal hormones.
羊水环境中人类胎儿生长调节的新假说整合了胎毛、胎脂和由无髓鞘低阈值C传入纤维组成的第二个触觉系统——这三者构成了一种独特的天然工具，在妊娠中期有力地加速胎儿生长，并在妊娠末期降低其速度。在羊水中胎儿运动期间，被胎脂包裹的胎毛反复摆动，激活与无髓鞘C传入纤维相连的高度敏感的机械感受器，其主要功能是通过脊髓传导来自所有胎儿皮肤皮节的起始冲动，并激活迷走神经感觉区、下丘脑和岛叶皮质，通过释放催产素促进抗应激效应，并通过胃肠激素的肠促胰岛素效应刺激胎儿生长。
