Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Smooth Muscle Contraction01:25

Smooth Muscle Contraction

2.8K
Smooth muscle contraction is a complex process vital for various bodily functions, from maintaining blood vessel tension to facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract. Unlike striated muscles, smooth muscle contraction begins more slowly and lasts longer.
The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...
2.8K
Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway01:28

Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway

5.0K
Nitric oxide (NO), an inorganic gas, acts as a potent second messenger in most animal and plant tissues. NO diffuses out of the cells that produce it and enters the neighboring cells to generate a downstream response. NO synthase (NOS) catalyzes NO production by the deamination of the amino acid arginine. There are three isoforms of NOS. Endothelial cells have endothelial NOS (eNOS), nerve and muscle cells have neuronal NOS (nNOS), and macrophages produce inducible NOS (iNOS) upon exposure...
5.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

African American Food Environments and Anti-Inflammatory Intake in Pregnancy.

International journal of environmental research and public health·2026
Same author

Effects of Maternal Obesity on Fetal Cerebral Glucose Transporter Expression.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Prepregnancy obesity, gestational weight gain, and their relationship with maternal lipid levels at delivery across racial and ethnic populations.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology·2026
Same author

Fetoplacental Circadian Rhythms Develop and Then Synchronize to the Mother In Utero.

Journal of biological rhythms·2026
Same author

Single-cell spatiotemporal dissection of the human maternal-fetal interface.

Nature·2026
Same author

Mechanistic insights into the therapeutic properties of delta opioid receptor.

Science advances·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2025

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

16.5K

SLO2.1/NALCN Functional Complex Activity in Mouse Myometrial Smooth Muscle Cells During Pregnancy.

Juan J Ferreira1, Lindsey N Kent1, Ronald McCarthy1

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, 425 S. Euclid Avenue, CB 8064, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|June 10, 2024
PubMed
Summary

The sodium (Na+) leak channel NALCN and the potassium (K+) channel SLO2.1 complex regulates uterine contractility. This complex is active throughout pregnancy, offering potential targets for managing pregnancy complications.

Keywords:
MyometriumNALCN ChannelsPregnancySLO2.1 ChannelsUterine Contractions

More Related Videos

Assessment of Maternal Vascular Remodeling During Pregnancy in the Mouse Uterus
06:55

Assessment of Maternal Vascular Remodeling During Pregnancy in the Mouse Uterus

Published on: December 5, 2015

13.4K
Biaxial Basal Tone and Passive Testing of the Murine Reproductive System Using a Pressure Myograph
09:59

Biaxial Basal Tone and Passive Testing of the Murine Reproductive System Using a Pressure Myograph

Published on: August 13, 2019

9.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2025

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

16.5K
Assessment of Maternal Vascular Remodeling During Pregnancy in the Mouse Uterus
06:55

Assessment of Maternal Vascular Remodeling During Pregnancy in the Mouse Uterus

Published on: December 5, 2015

13.4K
Biaxial Basal Tone and Passive Testing of the Murine Reproductive System Using a Pressure Myograph
09:59

Biaxial Basal Tone and Passive Testing of the Murine Reproductive System Using a Pressure Myograph

Published on: August 13, 2019

9.5K

Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Reproductive Science

Background:

  • Uterine contractility increases at the end of pregnancy, partly due to myometrial smooth muscle cell (MSMC) depolarization.
  • The SLO2.1 and NALCN ion channels form a complex regulating membrane potential in human MSMCs at term.
  • The role of this complex early in pregnancy was previously unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the NALCN/SLO2.1 complex in mouse MSMCs throughout pregnancy.
  • To determine how NALCN/SLO2.1 activity affects membrane potential and contractility during different stages of gestation.

Main Methods:

  • Examined the expression of Slo2.1 and Nalcn in mouse MSMCs across pregnancy.
  • Performed functional studies on MSMCs to assess K+ currents and membrane potential.
  • Measured intracellular Ca2+ responses in MSMCs.

Main Results:

  • Slo2.1 and Nalcn expression was higher in non-pregnant and early pregnant mice compared to late pregnant mice.
  • The NALCN/SLO2.1 complex mediated significant K+ currents and membrane hyperpolarization in early pregnancy MSMCs.
  • This complex regulated intracellular Ca2+ responses more in early pregnancy MSMCs than in late pregnancy MSMCs.

Conclusions:

  • The NALCN/SLO2.1 functional complex is conserved in mice and humans and is active throughout pregnancy.
  • This complex plays a crucial role in regulating MSMC membrane potential and contractility during pregnancy.
  • Findings suggest potential for pharmacological interventions targeting this complex for pregnancy-related complications.