title: Stromal-to-epithelial transition during postpartum endometrial regeneration.
abstract: Endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus which is composed of epithelial and stromal tissue compartments enclosed by the two smooth muscle layers of the myometrium. In women, much of the endometrium is shed and regenerated each month during the menstrual cycle. Endometrial regeneration also occurs after parturition. The cellular mechanisms that regulate endometrial regeneration are still poorly understood. Using genetic fate-mapping in the mouse, we found that the epithelial compartment of the endometrium maintains its epithelial identity during the estrous cycle and postpartum regeneration. However, whereas the stromal compartment maintains its identity during homeostatic cycling, after parturition a subset of stromal cells differentiates into epithelium that is subsequently maintained. These findings identify potential progenitor cells within the endometrial stromal compartment that produce long-term epithelial tissue during postpartum endometrial regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Cheng-Chiu
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Grant D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Orvis
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Richard R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Behringer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006706:Homeostasis; D051379:Mice; D057507:Mice, 129 Strain; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D049590:Postpartum Period; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012038:Regeneration; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018000:Receptors, Peptide; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; C084621:anti-Mullerian hormone receptor; D001616:beta-Galactosidase