A research student is working with a machine specifically engineered to stretch the uterus samples acquired, so the samples last as long as possible.

A research student is working with a machine specifically engineered to
stretch the uterus samples acquired, so the samples last as long as possible. Photo by Kaitlyn Oki

 

By Lauren Huneycutt 

 One out of every eight women has a preterm labor, meaning their babies are born before 40 weeks. According to Iain Buxton, University of Nevada, Reno Medical School professor, “A baby born at 40 weeks is normal, 37 weeks has very few problems, at 34 weeks some problems and at 30 weeks, big problems.” Buxton is currently working on research that he hopes could one day prevent preterm labor.

 

To conduct this research, Buxton and his team are collecting uterus cell samples from women willing to donate. They have collected samples from women who are not pregnant, women delivering babies that have reached term and women delivering preterm babies. Buxton believes the answer of how to prevent preterm labor is in these samples.

 

The uterus samples are stored in a machine that keeps them at -186 degrees Celsius. Photo by Kaitlyn Oki

The uterus samples are stored in a machine that keeps them at -186 degrees Celsius. Photo by Kaitlyn Oki

 There is a protein channel in the smooth muscle around the uterus that is activated when a woman is pregnant. In theory, the protein is activated when the uterus muscles are stretched, so it is a mechanically activated response. There are five variants of this protein, and the one activated may determine when a woman delivers her baby.

This microscope is designed to allow the scientist to look at a single cell at a time and test the ions inside of it using a pipette not visible to the naked eye.

This microscope is designed to allow the scientist to look at a single
cell at a time and test the ions inside of it using a pipette not visible to the naked eye.

The goal of the research is to harness which channel is the proper variant for normal 40-week delivery, then learn how to activate it while a woman is in preterm labor. If the proper channel could be activated, it could stop preterm labor.

Lauren Huneycutt can be reached at lhuneycutt@sagebrush.unr.edu.