Jadranka Dizdarevic-Stojkanovic, Kerim Begic, Goran Stojkanovic University Clinical Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina extra-umbilical mesenchyme, it is rich with water, mucopolysaccharides and does not contain blood vessels. That gelatinous connective tissue helps protect the umbilical vessels from compression. Arteries have a thick muscle wall an...

The extracellular matrix components show specific distribution patterns within various structures of the umbilical cord, among which Wharton's jelly is especially collagen-rich tissue. Cathepsin L is a potent cysteine protease engaged in degradation of extracellular matrix proteins, including collagens. We evaluated the activity and expression of cathepsin L, and the inhibitory effect of cystei...

We studied the relationship of fetal and maternal vascular pressures to umbilical and uterine blood flow in the unanesthetized ewe and in the sheep fetus in utero by placing electromagnetic flow transducers around both the common umbilical and uterine arteries. Reductions in umbilical arterial pressure or elevations in umbilical venous pressure decreased umbilical blood flow without affecting e...

Background. The transient effects of epidural bupivacaine 0.25–0.5% on the Doppler velocimetry of umbilical and uterine arteries had been reported, but the effects of continuous lower dose epidural bupivacaine (0.05–0.1%) infusion for labour analgesia have never been reported. In this study, we evaluated the effects of continuous epidural bupivacaine 0.075% on the Doppler velocimetry of uterine...

conclusions in the absence of associated anomalies, the risk of incidence of adverse events does not appear to be increased significantly with isolated sua. therefore, supplementary assessment and invasive tests are not recommended in fetuses with isolated sua, unless fetal abnormalities are detected in routine evaluations. background the umbilical cord normally consists of two arteries and one...

To determine whether naturally occurring fatty acids, especially saturated ones, might act directly as vasodilators, segments of human basilar arteries and umbilical arteries were precontracted submaximally with prostaglandin F2 alpha and then exposed to different saturated fatty acids (C4 through C16) or unsaturated fatty acids (C14:1, C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3) at concentrations from 4 microM t...

The kininogenase, tissue kallikrein (EC 3.4.21.8), has been identified in different blood vessels. The enzyme was mainly found in vascular smooth muscle cells. It is not known whether it is present and functionally active in vascular endothelial cells. The following study investigates the presence of tissue kallikrein in endothelial cells from human umbilical veins and pulmonary arteries. Tissu...

Background Serotonin (5-HT), is a vasoactive substance involved in physiological functioning of fetoplacental blood flow and continuous modulation of smooth muscle tone in umbilical vein and arteries. Since umbilical blood vessels have been shown to be deficient in autonomic innervation, the action of local autocrine vasoactive substances (including serotonin) is of considerable importance. Alt...