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The origin of human placental oxytocinase
Author(s) -
Mathur V. S.,
Walker J. M.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009120
Subject(s) - oxytocin , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , biology
1. Placentas from normal women and from those with pre‐eclamptic toxaemia, taken immediately after labour, were examined for oxytocinase activity and analysed morphometrically. 2. Both enzyme activity and volume of syncytiotrophoblast were significantly reduced in placentas from patients with toxaemia. 3. There was a positive correlation between the enzyme activity and the proportion of trophoblast in the placenta. When the activity was expressed per unit volume trophoblast, there was very little difference between placentas, whether from normal subjects or from patients with toxaemia. 4. It is concluded that human placental oxytocinase is located in the syncytiotrophoblast.