Roomans G M, Kilarski W M, Ciray N, Persson B E, Bäckström T, Ulmsten U
Department of Human Anatomy, University of Uppsala, Sweden.
Eur J Morphol. 1993 Mar-Jun;31(1-2):55-9.
Gap junctions are of importance in the coordinated contraction of uterine smooth muscle during labor. There are indications that in the human myometrium, gap junctions are much more numerous in the period immediately surrounding parturition. The presence and the functional state of gap junctions in human myometrium was studied by electron microscopical morphometry and by studying the distribution of an injected fluorescent dye. Electron microscopy showed that the number and size of gap junctions was significantly higher during the active phase of labor than during the pre-labor phase. Pressure injection of Lucifer Yellow into myometrial cells in vitro showed only weak coupling in the pre-labor stage. These data support the notion that coupling between myometrial cells develops in immediate association with parturition.
缝隙连接在分娩过程中子宫平滑肌的协调收缩中具有重要作用。有迹象表明，在人类子宫肌层中，缝隙连接在临近分娩期时数量要多得多。通过电子显微镜形态计量学以及研究注入的荧光染料的分布，对人类子宫肌层中缝隙连接的存在情况和功能状态进行了研究。电子显微镜显示，分娩活跃期缝隙连接的数量和大小显著高于分娩前阶段。在体外将荧光黄压力注入子宫肌层细胞显示，分娩前阶段的细胞间偶联较弱。这些数据支持子宫肌层细胞间偶联与分娩直接相关的观点。
