Stem cells: are they the answer to the puzzling etiology of endometriosis?

F R Oliveira, Flávia Ribeiro de Oliveira, C Dela Cruz, Cynthia Dela Cruz, Helen L. Del Puerto, H L Del Puerto, Q T M F Vilamil, Quésia T.M.F. Vilamil, F M Reis, Fernando M. Reis, A F Camargos, Aroldo F. Camargos
Histology and histopathology · 2012 · vol. 27(1) , pp. 23–9 · doi:10.14670/hh-27.23 · PMID:22127593 · W2310403408
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This review examines evidence for stem/progenitor cells in the human endometrium and their potential role in the unexplained etiology of endometriosis.

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This paper is a review that examines how adult stem/progenitor cells might relate to the unclear, likely polygenic and multifactorial etiology of endometriosis. It summarizes the challenges of identifying stem cells in human and animal tissues and the assays used for this purpose (e.g., clonogenicity, label-retaining cells, side-population analysis, marker-based approaches), alongside evidence that bone marrow-derived stem cells have been detected in both eutopic endometrium and endometriotic implants. The key conclusion is that the available evidence supports a plausible involvement of stem/progenitor cells in endometriosis pathogenesis through their roles in endometrial regeneration and in proliferative gynecologic diseases, while acknowledging the complexity of stem cell identification and the remaining uncertainty about mechanisms. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it specifically evaluates evidence for stem/progenitor cell involvement in endometriosis etiology.

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Abstract

Endometriosis is a chronic benign disease characterized by the presence of abnormally located tissue resembling the endometrium with glands and stroma. This disease has a high degree of morbidity due to chronic pelvic pain and infertility. The disease is likely to be polygenic and multifactorial, but the exact pathogenic mechanisms are still not entirely clear. Recently, adult stem cells have been identified in several tissues, including the endometrium. These cells are probably involved in the regenerative ability of the endometrial cycle, and also in the pathogenesis of proliferative gynaecological diseases, such as endometriosis. The identification of stem cells in animal and human tissues is very complex and the putative stem cells are supposed to be found through several assays such as clonogenicity, label-retaining cells, "side-population" cells, undifferentiation markers, and cellular differentiation. Bone marrow-derived stem cells transplanted into humans and animals have also been identified in eutopic endometrium and endometriotic implants. This review evaluates the available evidence regarding stem/progenitor cells in the human endometrium and explores the possible involvement of these cells in the etiology of endometriosis.
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Publication: Stem cells: Are they the answer to the puzzling etiology of endometriosis? Authors Oliveira, Flávia R. ; Dela Cruz, Cynthia ; Del Puerto, Helen L. ; Vilamil, Quésia T.M.F. ; Reis, Fernando M. ; Camargos, Aroldo F. item.page.secondaryauthor item.page.director Publisher F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología publication.page.editor publication.page.department DOI item.page.type info:eu-repo/semantics/article Description Abstract Endometriosis is a chronic bening disease characterizaed by the presence of abnormally located tissue resembling the endometrium with glands and stroma. This disease has a high degree of morbidity due to chronic pelvic pain and infertility. The disease is likely to be polygenic and multifactorial, but the exact pathogenic mechanisms are still not entirely clear. Recently, adult stem cells have been identified in several tissues, including the endometrium. These cells are probably involved in the regenerative ability of the endometrial cycle, and also in the pathogenesis of proliferative gynaecological diseases, such as endometriosis. The identification of stem cells in animal and human tissues is very complex and the putative stem cells are supposed to be found through several assays such as clonogenicity, label-retaining cells, “side- population” cells, undifferentiation markers, and cellular differentiation. Bone marrow-derived stem cells transplanted into humans and animals have also been identified in eutopic endometrium and endometriotic implants. This review evaluates the available evidence regarding stem/progenitor cells in the human endometrium and explores the possible involvement of these cells in the etiology of endometriosis. publication.page.subject Citation Histology and histopathology, Vol. 27, nº 1 (2012) item.page.embargo Ir a Estadísticas Sin licencia Creative Commons.

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Condition tags

endometriosischronic_pelvic_paininfertility

MeSH descriptors

Adult Stem Cells Endometriosis Endometrium Side-Population Cells Adult Stem Cells Adult Stem Cells Animals Biomarkers Biomarkers Cell Differentiation Cell Lineage Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Female Humans Risk Factors Side-Population Cells

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.

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