Figure 1

Total connexin 43 distribution in myometrium during term labour. (a) Peripheral punctate staining typical of gap junctions is seen on smooth myocytes (arrowhead). On the boundary of the smooth muscle bundles are cells with a homogenous staining pattern (arrow) (magnification ×20, Bar 50 micrometres, SMB = smooth muscle bundle, FMS = fibromuscular septum). (b) The cells on the boundary of the smooth muscle bundles exhibit the same pattern of staining in the non-pregnant myometrium. In contrast the smooth myocytes do not exhibit the punctate staining seen in the biopsy obtained during term labour (magnification ×10, Bar 100 micrometres, SMB = smooth muscle bundle).