Uterine mast cells: a new hypothesis to understand how we are born.
Birth is the result of complex, well-defined, and coordinated events, that are tightly regulated by endocrine, nervous, and immune responses, and take place primarily in the female reproductive tract. Various mechanisms and mediators involved in pregnancy, labor, and delivery, are highly conserved among different mammalian species and mast cells emerge as potential and crucial participants in these processes, as it is discussed in this review.
Rudolph
M Isolde
MI
Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile. mrudolph@udec.cl
Rojas
I Gina
IG
Penissi
Alicia B
AB
D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism; D036801:Parturition / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D010121:Oxytocin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone