Molecular aspects of implantation

Question 1

Structure of the endometrium?

Answer 1

Glandular and luminal epithelium
Stromal cells
Blood vessels

Question 2

Proliferative phase

Answer 2

Small glands with overlapping epi cells

Dense stroma

Question 3

Early secretory phase

Answer 3

Glands expand, secretory vesicles at basal side of epithelial cells

Question 4

Mid secretory phase

Answer 4

Increase expansion of glands

Secretory vescles secrete into lumen

Question 5

Late secretory phase

Answer 5

Long extended glands, no secretory vesc

Oedema in stroma

Question 6

What is present in the secretory vesicles?

Answer 6

Factors that interact with the embryo and facil implantation

Question 7

What drives endometrial changes?>

Answer 7

Steriod hormones
O - growth of endo
P - secretion of material by endo, drives WOI

Question 8

Where/when are steroid R expressed?

Answer 8

In nuc of stromal and epi cells
PR: max in early secretory phase then decrease
ER: max in late prolif/early secretory phase

Question 9

What leukocytes are present in endo?

Answer 9

uNK, macro, T cells (no B cells)

Increase in uNK and leuko from prolif to early preg

Question 10

How is cycle timed?

Answer 10

1. From last menstrual period
2. LH surge (LH+7 - implant)
   3, Endo morph

Question 11

Abnorm endo function

Answer 11

1. RIF - due to abnorm endo - no implant

2. RM - due to abnorm placental form - implant successfully

Question 12

What do the Tb do during implantation

Answer 12

Villous TB; anchor and invade cap/endo/stroma
Endogland/vasc: invade glands/vasc
ScTB: Forms barrier between tropho and maternal

Question 13

What is decidualisation controlled by?

Answer 13

cAMP and progesterone

Question 14

MMPs

Answer 14

Pro form cleaved by trypsin or plasmin to activate
b.d. pt in endo
MMP9 - early/late menstruation
Prog - decreased MMP exp
IL1 and TNFa - increase MMP exp
TB cells exp MMP to b.d. endo at implantation

Question 15

Integrins

Answer 15

Mediate cell binding to ECM
Transduce signal from ECM to cells
Endo integ - avB3, a1, a4 upreg at WOI

Question 16

Integrins at WOi

Answer 16

Inc exp in epi and BV
avB3 - exp in luminal and gland epi equally
a1 and a4 - high exp in gland epi and BV

Question 17

Integrins and repro failure

Answer 17

Abnorm expression

Question 18

What cytokines are expressed in endo?

Answer 18

Pro inflam - IL1, TNFa, IFNy, LIF, IL6, IL11
Th1 and Th2 cytokines
TGFb, GM-CSF, CSF, IL12, IL18, IL15

Question 19

Where are cyto exp after implantation?

Answer 19

Decidua and epithelium

Question 20

Role of LIF?

Answer 20

KO mice = no implant, model of infertility

Decreased exp in gland epi of women with RIF

Question 21

Role of IL11?

Answer 21

KO of R = implant but small decidua = loss
KO = model of RM
Decreased endo exp of IL11 in women with RM

Question 22

Do trophoblast cells express cytokine r?

Answer 22

Yes, cytokines can have positive or negative effects on TB cells

Question 23

Endometrial transcriptomes

Answer 23

Compare g.e. at different points in cycle and different pathologies. Can identify specific g.e. associated with receptivity