ABSTRACT
Amniorrhexis complicates pregnancies if it occurs in a preterm pregnancy or remote
from the onset of labor in a term pregnancy. There are different collagen types (l-V)
that create the extracellular matrix of the amnion. Collagenases specific to these
collagen types, with the exception of type V collagen, are found in human amniotic
fluid, fibroblasts, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and bacteria. Type V collagen is
a major component of the amniotic basement membrane and is responsible for maintaining
a barrier to bacteria and to the loss of amniotic fluid. We sought to find evidence
of type V collagenolytic activity in human amniotic fluid obtained from pregnancies
in different clinical states.
Keywords
Type V collagen - amniorrhexis - type V collagenase
