Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, 3168, Australia.
Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia.
Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2016 Nov;12(11):654-667. doi: 10.1038/nrendo.2016.116. Epub 2016 Jul 22.
The human endometrium is a highly dynamic tissue that is cyclically shed, repaired, regenerated and remodelled, primarily under the orchestration of oestrogen and progesterone, in preparation for embryo implantation. Humans are among the very few species that menstruate and that, consequently, are equipped with unique cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling these cyclic processes. Many reproductive pathologies are specific to menstruating species, and studies in animal models rarely translate to humans. Abnormal remodelling and regeneration of the human endometrium leads to a range of reproductive complications. Furthermore, the processes regulating endometrial remodelling and implantation, including those controlling hormonal impact, breakdown and repair, stem/progenitor cell activation, inflammation and cell invasion have broad applications to other fields. This Review presents current knowledge regarding the normal and abnormal function of the human endometrium. The development of biomarkers for prediction of uterine diseases and pregnancy disorders and future avenues of investigation to improve fertility and enhance endometrial function are also discussed.
人类子宫内膜是一种高度动态的组织，主要在雌激素和孕激素的协调作用下周期性脱落、修复、再生和重塑，为胚胎着床做准备。人类是极少数会经历月经的物种之一，因此，人类拥有控制这些周期性过程的独特的细胞和分子机制。许多生殖病理学是特定于月经物种的，而动物模型的研究很少能转化为人类。人类子宫内膜的异常重塑和再生会导致一系列生殖并发症。此外，调节子宫内膜重塑和着床的过程，包括控制激素影响、崩解和修复、干细胞/祖细胞激活、炎症和细胞浸润的过程，在其他领域也有广泛的应用。本文综述了人类子宫内膜正常和异常功能的最新知识。本文还讨论了用于预测子宫疾病和妊娠疾病的生物标志物的开发，以及改善生育能力和增强子宫内膜功能的未来研究方向。
