Direct Cell–Cell Interactions in the Endometrium and in Endometrial Pathophysiology

Susanne Grund, Ruth Grümmer
International journal of molecular sciences · 2018 · vol. 19(8) , pp. 2227 · doi:10.3390/ijms19082227 · PMID:30061539 · W2884645496
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This review examines how cell-cell interactions in the endometrium change during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and in diseases like endometriosis and cancer.

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Abstract

Cell contacts exhibit a considerable influence on tissue physiology and homeostasis by controlling paracellular and intercellular transport processes, as well as by affecting signaling pathways. Since they maintain cell polarity, they play an important role in cell plasticity. The knowledge about the junctional protein families and their interactions has increased considerably during recent years. In contrast to most other tissues, the endometrium undergoes extensive physiological changes and reveals an extraordinary plasticity due to its crucial role in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. These complex changes are accompanied by changes in direct cell⁻cell contacts to meet the various requirements in the respective developmental stage. Impairment of this sophisticated differentiation process may lead to failure of implantation and embryo development and may be involved in the pathogenesis of endometrial diseases. In this article, we focus on the knowledge about the distribution and regulation of the different junctional proteins in the endometrium during cycling and pregnancy, as well as in pathologic conditions such as endometriosis and cancer. Decoding these sophisticated interactions should improve our understanding of endometrial physiology as well as of the mechanisms involved in pathological conditions.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Cell Communication Endometrial Neoplasms Endometriosis Endometrium Adherens Junctions Adherens Junctions Adherens Junctions Animals Embryo Implantation Endometrial Neoplasms Endometrial Neoplasms Endometrial Neoplasms Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Endometrium Endometrium Female

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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 (100)

Cited by (8)

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