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Mol. Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on October 30, 2009
Molecular Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/molehr/gap095
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Novel Pathways for Implantation and Establishment and Maintenance of Pregnancy in Mammals

Fuller W. Bazer1,2,5, Guoyao Wu1, Thomas E. Spencer1, Greg A. Johnson3, Robert C. Burghardt3 and Kayla Bayless4

1Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University 3Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University 4Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Sciences Center, College Station, TX 77843 2WCU Biomodulation Major, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea

5 Correspondence address. E-mail: fbazer{at}cvm.tamu.edu

Uterine receptivity to implantation varies among species, and involves changes in expression of genes that are coordinate with attachment of trophectoderm to uterine lumenal and superficial glandular epithelia, modification of phenotype of uterine stromal cells, silencing of receptors for progesterone and estrogen, suppression of genes for immune recognition, alterations in membrane permeability to enhance conceptus-maternal exchange of factors, angiogenesis and vasculogenesis, increased vascularity of the endometrium, activation of genes for transport of nutrients into the uterine lumen, and enhanced signaling for pregnancy recognition. Differential expression of genes by uterine epithelial and stromal cells in response to progesterone, glucocorticoids, prostaglandins and interferons may influence uterine receptivity to implantation in mammals. Uterine receptivity to implantation is progesterone-dependent; however, implantation is preceded by loss of expression of receptors for progesterone (PGR) so that progesterone most likely acts via PGR-positive stromal cells throughout pregnancy. Endogenous retroviruses expressed by the uterus and/or blastocyst also affect implantation and placentation in various species. Understanding the roles of the variety of hormones, growth factors and endogenous retroviral proteins in uterine receptivity for implantation is essential to enhancing reproductive health and fertility in humans and domestic animals.

Key Words: implantation/placentation/pregnancy/uterus/conceptus development

Submitted on September 18, 2009; resubmitted on October 21, 2009; accepted on October 26, 2009.


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