The expression and function of stress proteins in uterine smooth muscle during pregnancy

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The uterus is a female organ that houses the developing fetus during pregnancy. This organ contains a smooth muscle component named the myometrium and during pregnancy it goes through a program of differentiation and adaptation at the molecular and cellular level. In parallel with this myometrial programming, the myometrium and other tissues also undergo transformation of immune system components. The consequence of both of these processes is the production of uterine tissue that can generate coordinated and powerful contractions (labour) to ensure the timely delivery of a term fetus whose organs are sufficiently mature for survival outside the uterus. Unfortunately, we still do not clearly understand what controls myometrial programming and immune transformation as well as their coordination during pregnancy.