Adult stem cells in the human endometrium

Abstract

The human endometrium is a dynamically remodeling tissue which undergoes more than 400 cycles of regeneration, differentiation, and shedding during a woman's reproductive years. The co-ordinated and sequential action of estrogen and progesterone direct these major remodeling events to prepare the endometrium for blastocyst implantation. Endometrial regeneration also occurs following parturition, almost complete curettage, and in post-menopausal women taking estrogen replacement therapy; adult stem/progenitor cells are likely responsible for this endometrial regeneration. This chapter will review the functional approaches that have been used to identify candidate endometrial epithelial and st..