Endocrine Abstracts

Successful embryo implantation requires changes in endometrial gene expression of biomarkers which contribute to uterine receptivity to facilitate blastocyst attachment. Osteopontin (OPN), expressed at the maternal–foetal interface may facilitate implantation in processes, such as cell adhesion, migration and angiogenesis which require OPN signalling via CD44 and integrin receptors. As coordinate expression of OPN and receptors is shown to be cycle-dependent and up-regula...

At implantation, the ability of an embryo to successfully attach to the luminal epithelium is dependent on the receptive phenotype the endometrium must acquire. This spatially and temporally restricted period of uterine receptivity is defined by endometrial molecular adaptations, highly regulated by embryonic-derived signals and ovarian steroids. Critical to this isthe expression of adhesivemoleculesintegrins and osteopontin (OPN) at the foetal-maternal interface which facilit...

Many of the functions of ovarian steroids in regulating embryo-implantation occur through the actions of cytokines and growth factors on the uterus. One such cytokine, Leukaemia Inhibitory factor (LIF), is critical for implantation in a range of mammalian species. LIF is expressed transiently in the murine glandular uterine epithelium (GE) on day 1 and then day 4 of pregnancy (day of implantation) induced by estrogen. Female mice lacking a functional LIF gene cannot support em...