Weiss G
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UMD-New Jersey Medical School, Newark 07103-2714, USA.
Clin Obstet Gynecol. 1995 Jun;38(2):293-300. doi: 10.1097/00003081-199506000-00012.
Important progress has been made in understanding the physiology of relaxin in human pregnancy. The structure of relaxin and its genetics have been elucidated. Progress has been made into understanding the control of relaxin secretion. Many actions of relaxin have been defined. Some of the effects of too much or too little relaxin have been described. However, the cellular mechanisms of relaxin action must still be determined, and the relationship of relaxin to diseases of pregnancy must be clarified. Although relaxin affects the human cervix, its physiologic role is not clear. Pregnancies can proceed uneventfully in the absence of circulating relaxin. Thus circulating relaxin is not critical for maintaining pregnancy or for cervical ripening. The mechanisms by which pregnancy is maintained and the mechanism of the timely onset of labor at full term are not well understood. There is a plethora of data suggesting many parallel overlapping control mechanisms for uterine control. Most of these systems are not critical because their actions can be compensated for by other systems. Understanding the physiology of human pregnancy must account for these multiple systems. Within this context, the role of relaxin in the physiology of labor must be understood.
在理解人妊娠期间松弛素的生理学方面已取得重要进展。松弛素的结构及其遗传学已得到阐明。在了解松弛素分泌的调控方面取得了进展。已明确了松弛素的许多作用。已描述了松弛素过多或过少的一些影响。然而，仍必须确定松弛素作用的细胞机制，并且必须阐明松弛素与妊娠疾病的关系。尽管松弛素会影响人类宫颈，但其生理作用尚不清楚。在没有循环松弛素的情况下，妊娠仍可顺利进行。因此，循环松弛素对于维持妊娠或宫颈成熟并不关键。维持妊娠的机制以及足月时适时发动分娩的机制尚未完全了解。有大量数据表明子宫控制存在许多平行且重叠的调控机制。这些系统中的大多数并不关键，因为它们的作用可由其他系统代偿。理解人类妊娠的生理学必须考虑这些多个系统。在此背景下，必须了解松弛素在分娩生理学中的作用。
