In this Theory paper, the complex interplay of the specific structures involved in female
urinary continence are analyzed. In addition the effects of age, hormones, and iatrogenically …

The last phase of spermatogenesis involves spermatid elongation (spermiogenesis), where
the nucleus is remodeled by chromatin condensation, the excess cytoplasm is removed and …

Relaxin has vital physiological roles in pregnant rats, mice, and pigs. Relaxin promotes
growth and softening of the cervix, thus facilitating rapid delivery of live young. Relaxin also …

The uterine cervix undergoes a complex remodelling process during pregnancy,
characterized by dramatic changes in both extracellular matrix (ECM) structure and …

At the end of gestation, the cervical tissue changes profoundly. As a result of these changes,
the uterine cervix becomes soft and vulnerable to dilation. The process occurring in the …

In preparation for birth, the uterine cervix undergoes a remarkable transformation from a
closed, rigid structure to a distensible, remodeled configuration that stretches to allow …

The insulin-related peptide hormone relaxin (Rlx) is known as pregnancy hormone for
decades. In the 1980s, researchers began to recognize the highly intriguing fact that Rlx …

The mechanisms that facilitate remodeling of the cervix in preparation for and during
parturition remain poorly understood. In the current study, we have evaluated the timing of …

Abstract The relaxin knockout (rlx−/−) mouse was used to assess the effect, during
pregnancy, of relaxin with regard to water, collagen content, growth, and morphology of the …

The receptors for members of the relaxin peptide family have only recently been discovered
and are G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Relaxin and insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) …