BACKGROUND Human endometrium has immense regenerative capacity, growing ~5 mm in 7 days every month. We have previously identified a small population of colony-forming endometrial stromal cells which we hypothesize are mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). The aim of this study was to determine if the co-expression of two perivascular cell markers, CD146 and platelet-derived growth factor-receptor beta...

Human thioredoxin, a cellular disulphide reducing protein, is known to be secreted by some types of cells and to display unique extracellular activities including modulation of cytokine actions and protection of the cell against damage from oxidative stress. This study has been undertaken to investigate the pattern of expression and tissue distribution of thioredoxin in human endometrium during...

Progesterone receptor (PR) variant mRNAs in human endometrium could encode proteins with the potential to alter progesterone action in states of normal and abnormal endometrial development. We have assessed the expression levels of mRNA for the wild-type PR and splice variants of PR mRNA lacking exon 4 (del-4 PR), exon 6 (del-6 PR), exons 4 and 6 (del-4&6 PR), and part of exon 4 (del-p4 PR) or ...

BACKGROUND Stromal leucocyte populations in human endometrium comprise T cells, macrophages, and phenotypically unusual endometrial granulated lymphocytes. Their proportions vary during the menstrual cycle and, in particular, endometrial granulated lymphocytes increase in number in the late secretory phase. The stimulus responsible for these cyclical changes is unknown but it is likely that the...

Uterine NK (uNK) cells express a unique set of markers compared with blood NK cells. However, recent studies suggest that uNK cells may be derived from the recruitment of blood NK cells into the endometrium. In this study, we used an in vitro organ culture system to demonstrate that estradiol induces expression of chemokines CXCL10 and/or CXCL11 within human endometrium in 85% of patient sample...

It has reported that interleukin-22 (IL-22) promotes the invasion of tumor cells. IL-22 in the endometriotic milieu stimulates the proliferation of human endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). The present study aimed to elucidate whether and how IL-22 regulates the invasion of ESCs from adenomyosis. The expression of IL-22 and its receptors in normal endometrium, eutopic endometrium and ectopic lesi...

Human endometrium taken during the early to mid-secretory portion of the menstrual cycle is studied with the electron microscope. A description of the nucleolus is given. In addition, an unusual structure within the endometrial cell nucleolus is described, consisting of amorphous matrix, 150-A dense granules, and a series of tubular channels. This structure is named the nucleolar channel system...

Infertility is an increasing medical and social problem affecting more than 10% of couples worldwide. Many underlying causes of human infertility have been overcome by assisted reproductive techniques; nevertheless, the implantation process remains one of the rate-limiting step as regards the success of the treatment. A prerequisite for successful implantation is the adequate preparation of a r...

Considerable evidence supports a role for matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) in menstruation, but their focal pattern of expression within perimenstrual and menstrual endometrium suggests local rather than hormonal regulation. Menstruation shares a number of features with inflammatory responses, with leukocyte infiltration, proliferation and activation, occurring in the endometrium prior to menstr...

Progesterone is essential for endometrial receptivity and successful establishment of pregnancy. Either an insufficient progesterone concentration or an insufficient response to progesterone, therefore can lead to infertility and pregnancy loss. Assessment of the role that either progesterone insufficiency or inadequate progesterone response plays in human reproductive failure has been difficul...