Pathogenesis of endometriosis

Nap AW, Annemiek W Nap, Annemiek Nap, Patrick G. Groothuis, Groothuis PG, Ayşe Y. Demir, Demir AY, Ayse Y Demir, J.L.H. Evers, Johannes L. H. Evers, Dunselman GA, Gerard A J Dunselman
Best practice & research. Clinical obstetrics & gynaecology · 2004 · vol. 18(2) , pp. 233–244 · doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2004.01.005 · PMID:15157640 · W2052325118
Review OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 82 in-corpus citations
View on OpenAlex View on PubMed View at publisher
⚙ AI-generated summary by gemini-2.5-flash-lite, 2026-06-11 ⓘ

This paper reviews the current understanding of endometriosis pathogenesis, discussing theories of retrograde menstruation, coelomic metaplasia, and stem cell involvement.

One-sentence paraphrase of the abstract; not a substitute for reading it. No clinical advice. How this works

Abstract

Many women harbour spots of peritoneal endometriosis without having any symptoms; this is referred to as the phenomenon endometriosis. Some of these women go on to develop symptomatic endometriosis. Although we know the factors potentially involved in the aetiology and pathogenesis of endometriosis, the exact mechanism by which the phenomenon endometriosis develops into the disease endometriosis, with its associated signs and symptoms, remain obscure. The widely accepted theory is Sampson's transplantation theory. Recent findings indicate that certain properties of the endometrium, and the influence of the local environment, are crucial in the development of endometriosis. Early endometriosis lesion formation is described in detail, as this seems to be a key process in the development of peritoneal endometriosis.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Peritoneal Diseases Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Endometrium Endometrium Estrogens Estrogens Estrogens Female Female Humans Humans Matrix Metalloproteinases Matrix Metalloproteinases Matrix Metalloproteinases

Citation neighborhood (2-hop)

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. Outer rings show 2-hop neighbours — papers reached through the immediate citers/citees. [ collapse to 1-hop ]

References (77)

Cited by (50)

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-10-17T06:09:56.316927+00:00
openalex
last seen: 2026-06-10T17:14:06.276822+00:00
pubmed
last seen: 2026-10-08T21:02:29.018211+00:00
unpaywall
last seen: 2026-10-17T06:24:38.187582+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK