The uterine cervix undergoes a complex remodelling process during pregnancy, characterized by dramatic changes in both extracellular matrix (ECM) structure and mechanical properties. Understanding the cervical remodelling process in a term or preterm birth will aid efforts for the prevention of preterm births (PTBs), which currently affect 14.8 million babies annually worldwide. Animal models of pregnancy, particularly rodents, continue to provide valuable insights into the cervical remodelling process, through the study of changes in ECM structure and mechanical properties at defined gestation time points. Currently, there is a lack of a collective, quantitative framework to relate the complex, nonlinear mechanical behaviour of the rodent cervix to changes in ECM structure. This review aims to fill this gap in knowledge by outlining the current understanding of cervical remodelling during pregnancy in rodent models in the context of solid biomechanics. Here we highlight the collective contribution of multiple mechanical studies which give evidence that cervical softening coincides with known ECM changes throughout pregnancy. Taken together, mechanical tests on tissue from pregnant rodents reveal the cervix's remarkable ability to soften dramatically during gestation to allow for a compliant tissue that can withstand damage and can dissipate mechanical loads.

中文翻译：

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宫颈重塑的机制：来自啮齿动物妊娠模型的见解。

子宫颈在怀孕期间经历复杂的重塑过程，其特征是细胞外基质（ECM）结构和机械特性发生巨大变化。了解足月或早产时的宫颈重塑过程将有助于预防早产 (PTB)，目前早产每年影响全球 1,480 万婴儿。妊娠动物模型，特别是啮齿动物，通过研究特定妊娠时间点 ECM 结构和机械性能的变化，继续为宫颈重塑过程提供有价值的见解。目前，缺乏一个集体的定量框架来将啮齿动物子宫颈复杂的非线性机械行为与 ECM 结构的变化联系起来。本综述旨在通过概述在固体生物力学背景下啮齿动物模型妊娠期间宫颈重塑的当前理解来填补这一知识空白。在这里，我们强调多项机械研究的集体贡献，这些研究证明宫颈软化与整个怀孕期间已知的 ECM 变化一致。总而言之，对怀孕啮齿动物组织的机械测试表明，子宫颈在妊娠期间具有显着软化的非凡能力，从而形成能够承受损伤并消散机械负荷的顺应性组织。