The possible role of sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase in preterm labour.
An unacceptably high incidence of preterm labour is seen in the black and coloured communities of South Africa. This hypothesis proposes that sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase activity plays an important role in preterm labour. The impaired activity of the sodium pump leads to increased cytosolic calcium levels, which may trigger contraction of myometrial smooth-muscle cells, resulting in preterm labour.
Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
P J
PJ
Du Toit
J J
JJ
Theron
A S
AS
Grobler
C M
CM
Steinmann
D H
DH
Van Papendorp
D044383:Black People; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017136:Ion Transport; D008954:Models, Biological; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology
D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase