Abstract
High levels of proteins called proteoglycans in the walls of umbilical arteries enable these arteries to close rapidly after birth and thus prevent blood loss in newborns.
Highlights
Related research article Nandadasa S, Szafron JM, Pathak V, Murtada SI, Kraft CM, O’Donnell A, Norvik C, Hughes C, Caterson B, Domowicz MS, Schwartz NB, Tran-Lundmark K, Veigl M, Sedwick D, Philipson EH, Humphrey JD, Apte SS. 2020
Once the baby is born and takes its first breath, a change in oxygen levels in the umbilical arteries prompts the umbilical blood vessels to cease their rhythmic pulsing and the arteries to shut off, a process known as rapid umbilical artery closure (Figure 1B)
The artery had a thicker middle layer than the vein, and exhibited clear distinctions: the outer layer contained a higher number of smooth muscle cells; and the inner layer contained high levels of two proteins – aggrecan and versican – and low levels of ADAMTS1, an enzyme that cleaves these proteins
Summary
Related research article Nandadasa S, Szafron JM, Pathak V, Murtada SI, Kraft CM, O’Donnell A, Norvik C, Hughes C, Caterson B, Domowicz MS, Schwartz NB, Tran-Lundmark K, Veigl M, Sedwick D, Philipson EH, Humphrey JD, Apte SS. 2020. The belly button is a remnant of the umbilical cord that served as the baby’s anchor to life during pregnancy by creating a vascular bridge between fetal and maternal circulations. It is made up of one large vein that carries oxygen-filled blood to the baby, and two arteries that return the oxygen-depleted blood, as well as waste products, to the placenta (Figure 1A).
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