Reproductive and Vascular Biology Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, United Kingdom.
J Reprod Immunol. 2011 Mar;88(2):156-64. doi: 10.1016/j.jri.2011.01.003. Epub 2011 Feb 21.
The most abundant immune cells in the uterine decidua around the time of implantation and early placental development are the uterine natural killer (uNK) cells. Altered numbers of uNK cells have been associated with several human reproductive disorders, including recurrent miscarriage, recurrent implantation failure, uterine fibroids, sporadic miscarriage, fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia. Understanding of the function of uNK cells in non-pregnant and pregnant endometrium is now increasing; the potential contribution of altered numbers and function of uNK cells to reproductive disorders is the focus of this review.
在着床和早期胎盘发育时，子宫蜕膜中最丰富的免疫细胞是子宫自然杀伤（uNK）细胞。uNK 细胞数量的改变与几种人类生殖障碍有关，包括复发性流产、反复着床失败、子宫肌瘤、偶发性流产、胎儿生长受限和子痫前期。现在，人们对非妊娠和妊娠子宫内膜中 uNK 细胞的功能有了更多的了解；改变的 uNK 细胞数量和功能对生殖障碍的潜在贡献是本综述的重点。
