Human Reproduction Update

BACKGROUND: Sirtuins (SIRT1-7) are a family of NAD+-dependent deacetylases that catalyze post-translational modifications of proteins. Together, they respond to metabolic challenges, inflammatory signals or hypoxic/oxidative stress, and are…

BACKGROUND: It is not uncommon for women with endometriosis to be advised that becoming pregnant might be a useful strategy to manage their symptoms and reduce disease progression. Consequently, many women diagnosed with endometriosis and m…

BACKGROUND: Estrogens are known to orchestrate reproductive events and to regulate the immune system during infections and following tissue damage. Recent findings suggest that, in the absence of any danger signal, estrogens trigger the phy…

BACKGROUND: The human uterine endometrium undergoes significant remodeling and regeneration on a rapid and repeated basis, after parturition, menstruation, and in some cases, injury. The ability of the adult endometrium to undergo cyclic re…

BACKGROUND: The ureter is the second most common site affected by urinary tract endometriosis, after the bladder. Optimal strategies in the diagnosis and treatment of ureteral endometriosis (UE) are not yet well defined. OBJECTIVE AND RATI…

BACKGROUND: Obesity is caused by an imbalance between energy intake, i.e. eating and energy expenditure (EE). Severe obesity is more prevalent in women than men worldwide, and obesity pathophysiology and the resultant obesity-related diseas…

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is a frequent post-operative complication, affecting ~20-40% of patients who have undergone surgery of the female genital or alimentary tract. Chronic pain is an important risk factor for diminished quality of life …

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is typically regarded as a premenopausal disease, resolving after natural or iatrogenic menopause due to declining oestrogen levels. Nonetheless, case reports over the years have highlighted the incidence of recurr…

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is estimated to affect 6-10% of women of reproductive age and it is associated with chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhoea and subfertility. It is currently managed surgically or medically but symptoms recur in up to 7…

BACKGROUND: Female sterilization is one of the most common contraceptive methods. A small number of women, however, opt for reversal of sterilization procedures after they experience regret. Procedures can be performed by laparotomy or lapa…

BACKGROUND: The existence of stem/progenitor cells in the endometrium was postulated many years ago, but the first functional evidence was only published in 2004. The identification of rare epithelial and stromal populations of clonogenic c…

BACKGROUND: Eukaryotic chromosomal ends are linear and are protected by nucleoprotein complexes known as telomeres. The complex structural anatomy and the diverse functions of telomeres as well as the unique reverse transcriptase enzyme, te…

BACKGROUND: Reproductive disorders and infertility are associated with the risk of obstetric complications and have a negative impact on pregnancy outcome. Affected patients often require assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to conceive…

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis, the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, is associated with chronic pelvic pain, subfertility and an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Current treatments include the surgical removal of the les…

BACKGROUND: Initially identified for their capability to induce heterotopic bone formation, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are multifunctional growth factors that belong to the transforming growth factor β superfamily. Using cellular an…

BACKGROUND: Sexual function is an important aspect of health and quality of life and is influenced by both medical conditions and health-care interventions, especially when gynecologic disorders are involved. Coital pain is among the main f…

BACKGROUND: Human pregnancy requires robust hemostasis to prevent hemorrhage during extravillous trophoblast (EVT) invasion of the decidualized endometrium, modification of spiral arteries and post-partum processes. However, decidual hemorr…

Uterine fibroids (also known as leiomyomas or myomas) are the most common form of benign uterine tumors. Clinical presentations include abnormal bleeding, pelvic masses, pelvic pain, infertility, bulk symptoms and obstetric complications.Al…

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, pregnancy was considered to have a positive effect on endometriosis and its painful symptoms due not only to blockage of ovulation preventing bleeding of endometriotic tissue but also to different metabolic, hormo…

BACKGROUND: Deep endometriosis invading the bowel constitutes a major challenge for the gynecologist. In addition to the greater impact on pain, the high incidence of surgical morbidity involved with bowel endometriosis poses a therapeutic …

BACKGROUND: Despite an estimated prevalence of 10% in women, the etiology of endometriosis remains poorly understood. Over recent decades, endometriosis has been associated with risk of several chronic diseases, such as cancer, autoimmune d…

BACKGROUND: Uterine leiomyomas (fibroids) are highly prevalent benign smooth muscle tumors of the uterus. In the USA, the lifetime risk for women developing uterine leiomyomas is estimated as up to 75%. Except for hysterectomy, most therapi…

BACKGROUND: Connexins comprise a family of ~20 proteins that form intercellular membrane channels (gap junction channels) providing a direct route for metabolites and signalling molecules to pass between cells. This review provides a critic…