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Cervical Softening - Anatomy & Physiology (view source)
Revision as of 09:52, 2 July 2008
, 09:52, 2 July 2008no edit summary
The cervix is composed of:
The cervix is composed of:
* '''Collagen fibre bundles''': helical strands of amino acids bound together to form fibrils
* '''Collagen fibre bundles''': helical strands of amino acids bound together to form fibrils
* '''Proteoglycan Matrix''': protein core with '''glycosaminoglycan''' branches '''(GAGs)'''. GAGs determine the degree of collagen fibre aggregation. An increased GAG content reduces collagen aggregation and vice versa.
* '''Proteoglycan Matrix''': protein core with '''Glycosaminoglycan''' branches '''(GAGs)'''. GAGs determine the degree of collagen fibre aggregation. An increased GAG content reduces collagen aggregation and vice versa.
* Reduction of collagen fibres
* Reduction of collagen fibres
* Increase in GAGs to decrease aggregation of the remaining collagen fibres.
* Increase in GAGs to decrease aggregation of the remaining collagen fibres.
The cervix produces:
* Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)
* Prostacyclin (PGI2)
* Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α)
'''Prostaglandins''' are thought to cause cervical softening, production increases at term and during parturition.
* Prostaglandins may induce cervical softening by:
** Inducing collagen breakdown
** Altering GAG/Proteogylcan composition