Promotion of angiogenesis by human endometrial lymphocytes.
The human endometrium is a unique tissue that undergoes dramatic monthly remodeling during the menstrual cycle in preparation for an implanting conceptus. This remodeling involves sequential proliferation and differentiation of endometrial stromal and epithelial cells, coupled with extensive angiogenesis and infiltration of a specific specialized immune cell subset. Increasing evidence points to an essential role for these maternal leukocytes in stimulating the endometrial angiogenesis, and we propose that they also play a key role in the decidual vascular transformation. Aberrant endometrial angiogenesis, decidualisation and vascular transformation is thought to underlie many pathologies of pregnancy, from infertility to the development of preeclampsia and Intra Uterine Growth Restriction. In this chapter we review the cellular processes associated with each stage of endometrial and decidual transformation, detailing the role of the immune cell populations and the angiogenic and chemotactic factors secreted by them.
Dunk
Caroline
C
Departments of Physiology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's and Infants Health, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. dunk@mshri.on.ca
Smith
Samantha
S
Hazan
Aleah
A
Whittle
Wendy
W
Jones
Rebecca Lee
RL
D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003656:Decidua / Q000276:immunology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*
D018925:Chemokines; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins