Regulation of amniotic fluid volume: Evolving concepts

Robert A. Brace, Cecilia Y. Cheung

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

Studies in late gestation fetal sheep have provided several new insights into the regulation of amniotic fluid (AF) volume (AFV): There are four quantitatively important amniotic inflows and outflows that include fetal urine production, lung liquid secretion, swallowing, and intramembranous absorption. Of these, AFV is regulated primarily by modulating the rate of intramembranous absorption of AF water and solutes across the amniotic epithelial cells into the underlying fetal vasculature. Modulation of the rate of intramembranous absorption depends on the presence of stimulators and inhibitors present in the AF. A stimulator of intramembranous absorption is present in fetal urine. In addition, AF contains a non-renal, non-pulmonary inhibitor of intramembranous absorption presumably secreted by the fetal membranes. Although passive bidirectional movements of water and solutes occur across the intramembranous pathway, intramembranous absorption is primarily a unidirectional, vesicular, bulk transport process mediated through VEGF activation of transcytotic transport via caveolae. Further, the stimulators and inhibitors of intramembranous absorption alter only the active, unidirectional component of intramembranous absorption while the passive components are not altered under experimental conditions studied thus far. Future progress depends on identifying the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate active and passive intramembranous absorption as well as their regulatory components.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdvances in Fetal and Neonatal Physiology
Subtitle of host publicationProceedings of the Center for Perinatal Biology 40th Anniversary Symposium
PublisherSpringer New York LLC
Pages49-68
Number of pages20
ISBN (Print)9781493910304
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014

Publication series

NameAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Volume814
ISSN (Print)0065-2598
ISSN (Electronic)2214-8019

Keywords

  • Amniotic fluid volume regulation
  • Fetal lung liquid secretion
  • Fetal swallowing
  • Fetal urine production
  • Intramembranous absorption
  • Sheep fetus

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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