The cervix is a unique organ able to dramatically change its shape and function by serving as a physical barrier for the growing fetus and then undergoing dramatic dilation allowing for delivery of a term infant. As a result, the cervix endures changing mechanical forces from the growing fetus. There is an emerging concept that the cervix may change or remodel “early” in many cases of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). However, the mechanical role of the cervix in both normal and preterm birth remains unclear. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to determine the mechanical and structural responses of murine cervical tissue throughout a normal gestational time course. In this study, both tissue structural and material properties were determined via a quasi-static tensile load-to-failure test, while simultaneously obtaining dynamic collagen fiber re-alignment via cross-polarization imaging. This study demonstrated that the majority of the mechanical properties evaluated decreased at midgestation and not just at term, while collagen fiber re-alignment occurred earlier in the loading curve for cervices at term. This suggests that although structural changes in the cervix occur throughout gestation, the differences in material properties function in combination with collagen fiber re-alignment as mechanical precursors to regulate term gestation. This work lays a foundation for investigating cervical biomechanics and the role of the cervix in preterm birth.
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June 2017
Research-Article
Tensile Mechanical Properties and Dynamic Collagen Fiber Re-Alignment of the Murine Cervix Are Dramatically Altered Throughout Pregnancy
Carrie E. Barnum,
Carrie E. Barnum
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Jennifer L. Fey,
Jennifer L. Fey
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Stephanie N. Weiss,
Stephanie N. Weiss
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Guillermo Barila,
Guillermo Barila
Maternal and Child Health Research Program,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Amy G. Brown,
Amy G. Brown
Maternal and Child Health Research Program,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Brianne K. Connizzo,
Brianne K. Connizzo
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104;
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104;
Department of Biological Engineering,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Cambridge, MA 02139
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Cambridge, MA 02139
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Snehal S. Shetye,
Snehal S. Shetye
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Michal A. Elovitz,
Michal A. Elovitz
Maternal and Child Health Research Program,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Louis J. Soslowsky
Louis J. Soslowsky
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
e-mail: soslowsk@upenn.edu
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
e-mail: soslowsk@upenn.edu
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Carrie E. Barnum
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Jennifer L. Fey
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Stephanie N. Weiss
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Guillermo Barila
Maternal and Child Health Research Program,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Amy G. Brown
Maternal and Child Health Research Program,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Brianne K. Connizzo
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104;
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104;
Department of Biological Engineering,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Cambridge, MA 02139
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Cambridge, MA 02139
Snehal S. Shetye
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Michal A. Elovitz
Maternal and Child Health Research Program,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Perelman School of Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Louis J. Soslowsky
McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
e-mail: soslowsk@upenn.edu
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
e-mail: soslowsk@upenn.edu
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received July 27, 2016; final manuscript received April 6, 2017; published online April 27, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Steven D. Abramowitch.
J Biomech Eng. Jun 2017, 139(6): 061008 (7 pages)
Published Online: April 27, 2017
Article history
Received:
July 27, 2016
Revised:
April 6, 2017
Citation
Barnum, C. E., Fey, J. L., Weiss, S. N., Barila, G., Brown, A. G., Connizzo, B. K., Shetye, S. S., Elovitz, M. A., and Soslowsky, L. J. (April 27, 2017). "Tensile Mechanical Properties and Dynamic Collagen Fiber Re-Alignment of the Murine Cervix Are Dramatically Altered Throughout Pregnancy." ASME. J Biomech Eng. June 2017; 139(6): 061008. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4036473
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