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Updated: Aug 18, 2026
Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Published on: June 29, 2013
Extracellular matrix changes in the umbilical arteries of growth-restricted fetuses
Wendy L Kinzler1, John C Smulian, C Andrew Kistler
1Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, UMDNJ-RWJ Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Objective:
This study was undertaken to determine whether the expression of extracellular matrix components (ECM) is altered in the umbilical arteries from preterm fetal growth-restricted (FGR) pregnancies.
Study Design:
Preterm pregnancies with FGR were compared with appropriately grown preterm pregnancies. Umbilical artery messenger RNA (mRNA) levels for fibrillar collagens I and III, nonfibrillar collagen XIV, and decorin were determined by using relative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The mRNA expression was compared between cases and controls by using the Student t test. P < or = .05 was considered significant.
Results:
Eight FGR cases and 5 control pregnancies were analyzed. Mean counts per minute (cpm) +/- SEM for collagen I and collagen III were increased in FGR pregnancies. There were no differences in mRNA expression of collagen XIV or decorin.
Conclusion:
Increased mRNA expression of collagen I and III, but not collagen XIV or decorin, is found in the umbilical arteries of preterm FGR pregnancies.
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