Uterus and uterine tubes

Microscopic slide of the myometrium.

The myometrium is the middle layer of the uterine wall consisting of smooth muscle cells and supporting stromal and vascular tissue. The uterus (from the Latin word for womb) is the major Female reproductive organ of most Mammals including Humans One end the

The inner layer of the uterine wall is the endometrium or uterine lining, and the outer layer the serosa or perimetrium. The endometrium is the inner membrane of the Mammalian Uterus. The perimetrium is the outer Serosa layer of the Uterus, covered in Peritoneum. The myometrium stretches (the smooth muscle cells expand in both size and number^[1]) during pregnancy to allow for the harboring of the pregnancy, and contracts in a coordinated fashion during the process of labor. Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a Human Pregnancy or After delivery the myometrium contracts to expel the placenta and reduce blood loss. The placenta is an Ephemeral organ present in placental Vertebrates, such as Eutherial Mammals and Sharks during Gestation

Lack of contraction at this stage is termed uterine atony. Uterine atony is a loss of tone in the uterine musculature Normally contraction of the uterine muscle compresses the vessels and reduces flow After pregnancy the uterus returns to its nonpregnant size by a process of myometrial involution.

Pathology

Neoplasms of the myometrium are very common, termed uterine leiomyomata or fibroids. A leiomyoma (plural is 'leiomyomata' is a Benign Smooth muscle Neoplasm that is not Premalignant. Their malignant version, leiomyosarcoma, is rare.

References

1. ^ Steven's and Lowe Histology p352

External links

• Histology at USC rep/c_52
• MeSH Myometrium