Expression and function of GPCRs in the pregnant uterus

背景：在怀孕期间，子宫经历了深刻的物理变化，因为它扩大容纳成长中的婴儿，以及生物化学，因为许多激素信号帮助子宫保持静止（放松）状态直到分娩。在怀孕和分娩过程中，有一类类似激素的化学介质被认为是重要的，那就是前列腺素。由于前列腺素水平在怀孕期间上升，特别是在足月时，这些介质广泛涉及刺激子宫收缩和分娩所需的重塑事件。然而，目前尚不清楚是前列腺素引发了分娩，还是观察到的增加仅仅是由其他因素引起的分娩的结果。劳动是复杂的，可能涉及许多因素。在我的实验室里，研究的重点是前列腺素的作用，以及它们如何通过与受体的相互作用来促进妊娠期间的静止和调节妊娠子宫的收缩。由于子宫肌平滑肌细胞是子宫的收缩成分，我们将以这些细胞为模型来研究前列腺素及其受体的相互作用和途径。

BACKGROUND: During pregnancy, the uterus undergoes profound changes both physically as it expands to house the growing baby, and biochemically as many hormonal signals help keep the uterus in a quiescent (relaxed) state until delivery. One group of, hormone like, chemical mediators thought to be important during pregnancy and labour, are the prostaglandins. Since prostaglandin levels rise though pregnancy, especially toward term, these mediators are widely implicated in the stimulation of uterine contractions and the remodeling events necessary for delivery. However, it is not clear whether prostaglandins trigger labour or if the observed increased is simply a consequence of labour being initiated by other factors. Labour is complex and likely to involve numerous factors. Research in my laboratory, focusses on the role of the prostaglandins, and how these may act via interaction with their receptors to promote quiescence during pregnancy and regulate contractions in the pregnant uterus. As the myometrial smooth muscle cells are the contractile component of the uterus, we will use these as a model to study the interactions and pathways of the prostaglandins and their receptors.