title: [Collagen metabolism in the human cervix during pregnancy, delivery and puerperium (author's transl)].
abstract: Prolyl hydroxylase activity, hydroxyproline content and collagen solubility in the human cervix were studied in early pregnancy, immediately after delivery and on the 4th postpartum-day. The results were as follows: 1) Prolyl hydroxylase activity in early pregnancy and immediately after delivery showed a more slight increase than that in the non-pregnant period, and on the 4th postpartum-day it showed a significant increase by 3 folds of the non-pregnant. 2) Hydroxyproline content in early pregnancy showed a more slight decrease than that in the non-pregnant period, and immediately after delivery it showed a significant decrease of 30.9% of the non-pregnant. But, on the 4th postpartum-day it showed a significant increase 159.9% of the immediately after delivery. 3) The proportion of pepsin-soluble fraction in early pregnancy and immediately after delivery showed a significant increase compared to that in the non-pregnant period, but the 4th postpartum-day it showed a significant decrease compared to that immediately after delivery; on the other hand, insoluble fraction was contrary to pepsin-soluble fraction. These findings suggest that cervical collagen undergoes significant biochemical changes during pregnancy and in labor, as well as in the puerperium, which might play an important role in cervical dilatation and postpartum involution.
mesh_terms: D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism*; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000032:analysis; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011393:Procollagen-Proline Dioxygenase / Q000032:analysis; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen; D011393:Procollagen-Proline Dioxygenase; D006909:Hydroxyproline