Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada 18071, Spain.
Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Granada 18014, Spain.
Hum Reprod. 2021 Mar 18;36(4):859-879. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deab009.
There is growing evidence that the upper female genital tract is not sterile, harbouring its own microbial communities. However, the significance and the potential effect of endometrial microorganisms on reproductive functions remain to be fully elucidated. Analysing the endometrial microbiome, the microbes and their genetic material present in the endometrium, is an emerging area of study. The initial studies suggest it is associated with poor reproductive outcomes and with different gynaecological pathologies. Nevertheless, studying a low-biomass microbial niche as is endometrium, the challenge is to conduct well-designed and well-controlled experiments in order to avoid and adjust for the risk of contamination, especially from the lower genital tract. Herein, we aim to highlight methodological considerations and propose good practice recommendations for future endometrial microbiome studies.
越来越多的证据表明，女性上生殖道并非无菌，而是存在其自身的微生物群落。然而，子宫内膜微生物对生殖功能的意义和潜在影响仍有待充分阐明。分析子宫内膜微生物组，即存在于子宫内膜中的微生物及其遗传物质，是一个新兴的研究领域。最初的研究表明，它与不良的生殖结局以及不同的妇科疾病有关。尽管如此，由于子宫内膜是一个生物量较低的微生物生境，其挑战在于进行精心设计和严格控制的实验，以避免和调整污染的风险，尤其是来自下生殖道的污染风险。在此，我们旨在强调方法学方面的考虑因素，并为未来的子宫内膜微生物组研究提出良好的实践建议。
