title: Serum human hepatocyte growth factor in human menstrual cycle and pregnancy: a novel serum marker of regeneration and reconstruction of human endometrium.
abstract: Serum concentrations of human hepatocyte growth factor (hHGF) were measured in normal menstrual cycles and during uncomplicated pregnancies. In the normal menstrual cycle, the concentrations of hHGF increased through the mid and the late luteal phases to reach the highest peak during the menstrual phases, followed by a gradual decline during the follicular phase toward the trough levels seen in the ovulatory and the very early luteal phases. During pregnancy, serum hHGF concentrations increased continuously from the late luteal levels and constituted 4 distinct peaks. By immunostaining, c-Met protein, a receptor for hHGF, was localized not in the stromal but in the epithelial layer of the endometrium. In cultured isolated endometrial cells, hHGF stimulated the proliferation of both the epithelial and the stromal cells. It is likely that hHGF is involved in the repair or reconstruction process of the endometrium after menstrual shedding and implantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fukui Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Negami
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamitani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kotsuji
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tominaga
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000097:blood; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000097:blood; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor