title: CD56+ cells are recruited to the uterus in two waves: at ovulation and during the first 2 weeks after missed menses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are enriched in the post-ovulatory uterus and during pregnancy. Whether these cells arise from blood pre-cursors or from stem cells in the uterus is undefined. To support a hypothesis that precursors of uNK cells are recruited from blood, adhesive function of blood CD56+ subsets were assessed during one cycle and during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen women of proven fertility provided serial blood samples during one menstrual cycle and thirty women with a history of implantation failure or recurrent spontaneous abortion provided serial samples during infertility treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD56(bright) cells, but not CD56(dim) cells or NKT cells, increased in ligand-binding capacity during ovulation in fertile cycles only and during the first 2 weeks from date of missed menses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Enhanced adhesive function at ovulation in CD56(bright) cells in fertile cycles and during early gestation supports a hypothesis of recruitment of pre-uNK cells from the blood CD56(bright) subset.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Children's Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors: Marianne J
authors: MJ
authors: van den Heuvel
authors: Kota
authors: K
authors: Hatta
authors: Crystal G
authors: CG
authors: Peralta
authors: Victor K
authors: VK
authors: Han
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Clark
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010060:Ovulation / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D019002:CD56 Antigen