title: Mechanism of pain generation for endometriosis-associated pelvic  pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Endometriosis-associated pelvic pain appears due to persistent nociceptive stimulation, but the precise mechanisms remain poorly understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  A search was conducted to screen and select articles from PubMed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neurotrophins (NTs), a family of neuronal growth factors, are overexpressed in endometriosis and encompass NGF, BDNF and NT-3 and NT-4/5. NT receptors, TrkA and p75NTR, and NT receptor-interacting proteins, MAGE and NDN, were also expressed. NTs and their receptors play a role in the development and maintenance of neural tissues in non-neuronal cell types such as endometriosis. Nerve fibers contain unmyelinated sensory C, myelinated sensory Adelta and adrenergic nerve fibers that innervate abnormal cell growths. An increased release of proinflammatory cytokines from endometriotic lesions is responsible for the excessive sensory innervation and development of chronic pelvic pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The preponderance of the inflammatory milieu and subsequent hyperinnervation might be involved in the pathophysiology of pain generation in women with endometriosis.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morioka
authors.forename: Emiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Niiro
authors.forename: Aiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shigemitsu
authors.forename: Fuminori
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors