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EMMIs: Engineered Myometrial Microtissues for Direct Quantification of Oxytocin-Induced Contractility.

Karla I Ortega Sandoval¹, Ritu M Dave², Cailin R Gonyea¹

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology

|May 7, 2026

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Engineered myometrial microtissues (EMMIs) directly measure uterine contractile force. This new model shows prolonged oxytocin exposure weakens contractions, contributing to postpartum hemorrhage.

Area of Science:

Reproductive biology
Biomedical engineering
Obstetrics

Background:

Uterine contractions are vital for childbirth, but failure (atony) causes postpartum hemorrhage.
Prolonged oxytocin use can paradoxically worsen atony via desensitization.
Existing models lack direct force measurement and genetic manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel in vitro model for direct measurement of myometrial contractile force.
To investigate the impact of oxytocin desensitization on uterine contractility.
To establish a platform for studying myometrial physiology and improving obstetric outcomes.

Main Methods:

Engineered myometrial microtissues (EMMIs) created using immortalized human myometrial cells in collagen hydrogels.

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Characterization of EMMI maturation, including cellular alignment and molecular markers.

Isometric measurement of contractile force in response to oxytocin and potassium chloride.

Genetic manipulation to confirm oxytocin receptor specificity.

Main Results:

Mature EMMIs exhibited structural and molecular characteristics of contractile myometrium.
EMMIs generated dose-dependent, calcium-sensitive contractions to oxytocin and KCl.
Oxytocin receptor deletion abolished oxytocin-induced contractions.
EMMIs successfully recapitulated oxytocin desensitization, linking prolonged exposure to reduced force.

Conclusions:

Engineered myometrial microtissues (EMMIs) provide a reproducible and genetically manipulable system for studying uterine contractility.
This model offers direct force quantification, overcoming limitations of previous systems.
EMMIs can elucidate mechanisms of oxytocin desensitization and inform strategies to prevent postpartum hemorrhage.