Orientation of elastic fibers in the human cervix

Abstract

We have determined the microanatomy of the cervix in relation to elastic fibers by serial dissection of human cervix in three tissue planes: cross, sagittal, and frontal sections. Analysis suggests that elastin is localized to specific regions of the uterine cervix and not dispersed throughout the connective tissue stroma. By Musto stain the majority of elastic fibers are noted to be oriented from the external os to the periphery and from there in a band upward toward the internal os where they become sparse in the area of the cervix with the greatest amount of smooth muscle just below the internal os. Elastic fibers were noted to be sparsely distributed in the cervical stroma.