Mechanobiology of the Uterus and Maternal Fetal Interface During Pregnancy
摘要
During pregnancy, the tissues of the female reproductive system dynamically remodel throughout gestation, at the onset of labor, and during postpartum involution. While hormones and biochemical signaling play an important role in the regulation of reproductive tissues, researchers are starting to uncover how the mechanical environment influences cells of the female reproductive system. During pregnancy, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is extremely dynamic. ECM remodeling results in changes in stiffness, anisotropy, and viscoelastic properties. Additionally, as the fetus grows, the stress and strain on tissues like the fetal membrane and the uterus increase. Mechanobiology, or the study of how cells respond to mechanical cues, is an emerging area of research in pregnancy. This chapter provides a brief overview of the mechanotransduction mechanisms that influence pregnancy from implantation to the onset of labor. Specifically, the chapter focuses on tissues that adapt, remodel, or support the increasing load of the fetus throughout pregnancy, including the fetal membranes, placenta, uterus, and cervix. Understanding how the biomechanical environment changes in pregnancy and regulates cell and tissue adaptations could elucidate important mechanisms of pregnancy, such as embryo implantation, dynamic tissue remodeling, rupture of the fetal membrane, the onset of labor, placental dysfunction, preterm birth, and more.