Theories on the Pathogenesis of Endometriosis

Samer Sourial, Nicola Tempest, Dharani K Hapangama
International journal of reproductive medicine · 2014 · vol. 2014 , pp. 1–9 · doi:10.1155/2014/179515 · PMID:25763392 · W2010578943
review OA: hybrid CC0 ⤵ 329 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This review examines theories on the pathogenesis of endometriosis, finding that stem cells, immune dysfunction, genetics, and the peritoneal environment may contribute to lesion development.

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Abstract

Endometriosis is a common, chronic inflammatory disease defined by the presence of extrauterine endometrial tissue. The aetiology of endometriosis is complex and multifactorial, where several not fully confirmed theories describe its pathogenesis. This review examines existing theories on the initiation and propagation of different types of endometriotic lesions, as well as critically appraises the myriad of biologically relevant evidence that support or oppose each of the proposed theories. The current literature suggests that stem cells, dysfunctional immune response, genetic predisposition, and aberrant peritoneal environment may all be involved in the establishment and propagation of endometriotic lesions. An orchestrated scientific and clinical effort is needed to consider all factors involved in the pathogenesis of this multifaceted disease and to propose novel therapeutic targets to reach effective treatments for this distressing condition.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (83)

Cited by (50)

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK