title: Simulating uterine contraction by using an electro-chemo-mechanical model.
abstract: Contractions of uterine smooth muscle cells consist of a chain of physiological processes. These contractions provide the required force to expel the fetus from the uterus. The inclusion of these physiological processes is, therefore, imperative when studying uterine contractions. In this study, an electro-chemo-mechanical model to replicate the excitation, activation, and contraction of uterine smooth muscle cells is developed. The presented modeling strategy enables efficient integration of knowledge about physiological processes at the cellular level to the organ level. The model is implemented in a three-dimensional finite element setting to simulate uterus contraction during labor in response to electrical discharges generated by pacemaker cells and propagated within the myometrium via gap junctions. Important clinical factors, such as uterine electrical activity and intrauterine pressure, are predicted using this simulation. The predictions are in agreement with clinically measured data reported in the literature. A parameter study is also carried out to investigate the impact of physiologically related parameters on the uterine contractility.
authors.affiliation: Division of Solid Mechanics, Department of Management and Engineering, The Institute of Technology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden. babak.sharifimajd@liu.se.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sharifimajd
authors.affiliation: Division of Solid Mechanics, Department of Management and Engineering, The Institute of Technology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Carl-Johan
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Thore
authors.affiliation: Division of Solid Mechanics, Department of Management and Engineering, The Institute of Technology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stålhand
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology; D009218:Myosins / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011312:Pressure; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009218:Myosins; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Excitation–contraction model of uterine smooth muscle; Intrauterine pressure; Uterine electrical activity; Uterus contraction