title: Endometrial stem/progenitor cells.
abstract: Human endometrium regenerates and regresses with each menstrual cycle under hormonal control throughout a woman's reproductive life. The cyclical regeneration and remodeling potentials allude to the existence of stem/progenitor cells in the endometrium. There is increasing evidence that human endometrium contains small numbers of stem-like cells capable of self-renewal, multiple differentiation and tissue reconstitution. Although the precise identity of endometrial stem/progenitor cells remains elusive, these cells are thought to play pivotal role(s) in the physiological remodeling and regeneration of the human endometrium and also in the pathogenesis of endometrium-associated diseases, such as endometriosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maruyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008954:Models, Biological
keywords: endometrial regeneration; endometriosis; side population; stem/progenitor cells