title: Spatial and temporal characterization of endometrial mesenchymal stem-like cells activity during the menstrual cycle.
abstract: The human endometrium is a highly dynamic tissue with the ability to cyclically regenerate during the reproductive life. Endometrial mesenchymal stem-like cells (eMSCs) located throughout the endometrium have shown to functionally contribute to endometrial regeneration. In this study we examine whether the menstrual cycle stage and the location in the endometrial bilayer (superficial and deep portions of the endometrium) has an effect on stem cell activities of eMSCs (CD140b+CD146+cells). Here we show the percentage and clonogenic ability of eMSCs were constant in the various stages of the menstrual cycle (menstrual, proliferative and secretory). However, eMSCs from the menstrual endometrium underwent significantly more rounds of self-renewal and enabled a greater total cell output than those from the secretory phase. Significantly more eMSCs were detected in the deeper portion of the endometrium compared to the superficial layer but their clonogenic and self-renewal activities remained similar. Our findings suggest that eMSCs are activated in the menstrual phase for the cyclical regeneration of the endometrium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China; Centre of Reproduction, Development of Growth, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China. Electronic address: rwschan@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Rachel W S
authors.initials: RWS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China; Centre of Reproduction, Development of Growth, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
authors.forename: Ernest H Y
authors.initials: EHY
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China; Centre of Reproduction, Development of Growth, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
authors.forename: William S B
authors.initials: WSB
authors.lastname: Yeung
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D012038:Regeneration
keywords: Adult stem cells; Endometrial repair; Endometrial stem cells; Menstrual cycle