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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Contractility Measurements of Human Uterine Smooth Muscle to Aid Drug Development
07:56

Contractility Measurements of Human Uterine Smooth Muscle to Aid Drug Development

Published on: January 26, 2018

Potassium channels and uterine function

Adam M Brainard1, Victoria P Korovkina, Sarah K England

  • 1University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States.

Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
|June 29, 2007
PubMed

Ion channels are effector proteins that mediate uterine excitability throughout gestation. This review will focus primarily on the role of potassium channels in regulating myometrial tone in pregnancy and labor contractions. During gestation, potassium channels maintain the uterus in a state of quiescence by contributing to the resting membrane potential and counteracting contractile stimuli. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the significance of the potassium channels in maintaining a normal gestational period and initiating labor contractions at term.

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