Towards a computational reconstruction of the electrodynamics of premature and full term human labour

O. Aslanidi, J. Atia, A. P. Benson, H. A. van den Berg, A. M. Blanks, C. Choi, S. H. Gilbert, I. Goryanin, B. R. Hayes-Gill, A. V. Holden, P. Li, J. E. Norman, A. Shmygol, N. A.B. Simpson, M. J. Taggart, W. C. Tong, H. Zhang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We apply virtual tissue engineering to the full term human uterus with a view to reconstruction of the spatiotemporal patterns of electrical activity of the myometrium that control mechanical activity via intracellular calcium. The three-dimensional geometry of the gravid uterus has been reconstructed from segmented in vivo magnetic resonance imaging as well as ex vivo diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging to resolve fine scale tissue architecture. A late-pregnancy uterine smooth muscle cell model is constructed and bursting analysed using continuation algorithms. These cell models are incorporated into partial differential equation models for tissue synchronisation and propagation. The ultimate objective is to develop a quantitative and predictive understanding of the mechanisms that initiate and regulate labour.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)183-192
Number of pages10
JournalProgress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Volume107
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2011
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Electrophysiology
  • Mathematical modelling
  • Physiome
  • Smooth muscle
  • Uterine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology

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