Muscle Layer Contractile Activity of the in Vitro Rabbit Uterus ∗

Abstract

Discussion and Summary

Analyses of rabbit myometrial longitudinal and circular muscle activity indicate that these two muscle layers contract simultaneously in vitro. Simultaneous contractions of the longitudinal fibers were recorded by the Grass tranducer and the longitudinal ECFT (Fig. 4). Tone levels of bursts recorded by the longitudinal ECFT have been observed to be a function of the tension set on the underlying muscle at the time of ECFT attachment. If this tension was large, a decreased tone was recorded; if small, an increased tone was recorded. This apparent decreased tone was likely induced by contraction of adjacent longitudinal muscle above and below the ECFT.