The role of genomic imprinting in implantation.
OBJECTIVE
To outline the possible role of the imprinted genes in early human embryogenesis and implantation.


METHODS
Literature review.


METHODS
Studies examining the issues of genomic imprinting, implantation, gestational trophoblastic diseases, placental gene expression, and trophoblast invasion.


RESULTS
Certain genes have been shown to be expressed either in the embryo or in the uterine decidua before implantation. Some of these have been shown to be parentally imprinted, that is, expressed either from their paternal or maternal origin. The paternally expressed genes are linked to placental proliferation and invasiveness.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical and basic data from different disciplines indicate that genomic imprinting may be crucial to the process of implantation.
Goshen
R
R
Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel.
Ben-Rafael
Z
Z
Gonik
B
B
Lustig
O
O
Tannos
V
V
de-Groot
N
N
Hochberg
A A
AA
D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000235:genetics; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D006801:Humans; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II