Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Embryo Implantation

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 September 2020) | Viewed by 8164

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Molecular Medicine and Development Head of Laboratory of Applied Biology and of Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction Università degli Studi di Siena, Siena, Italy
Interests: biology of reproduction; in vitro fertilization; endometrial receptivity; exosomes; male and female gametes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Molecular Medicine and Development Head of Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Placenta Bank Università degli Studi di Siena, Siena, Italy
Interests: biology of reproduction; endometrial receptivity; exosomes; male and female gametes; lysosomal storage disease and male reproduction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Embryo implantation is the process by which the human embryo orientates towards, attaches to, and finally invades the maternal endometrial tissue. It requires the organization of a series of events involving a functionally and chromosomically normal blastocyst and a receptive endometrium. The high complexity of this crosstalk along with the relative lack of information on embryo implantation mechanism represents the “black box” of reproduction. Defects in the intrauterine environment can negatively impact the implantation process, which in turn may affect the ongoing pregnancy and the health of the fetus.

This Special Issue of Cells should improve our understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying embryo implantation, also tacking advantages from animal models as well as in vitro culture systems, mimicking the endometrial microenvironment. This Issue will also cover new advances in preclinical therapeutic strategies aiming to increase the endometrial receptivity in natural and stimulated cycles, as it happens in assisted reproduction where embryo implantation failure still remains the main cause of unsuccessful outcomes.

On behalf of the Cells journal, we cordially invite all scientists working on embryo implantation and endometrial receptivity to contribute with an article to this Special Issue. Original research articles, reviews, or shorter perspective articles on all aspects related to the molecular and cellular mechanisms of embryo implantation are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Paola Piomboni
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Endometrium
  • Embryo implantation
  • Endometrial receptivity
  • Decidualization
  • Placenta
  • Female reproduction

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 6172 KiB  
Article
Organoids of Human Endometrium: A Powerful In Vitro Model for the Endometrium-Embryo Cross-Talk at the Implantation Site
by Alice Luddi, Valentina Pavone, Bianca Semplici, Laura Governini, Mattia Criscuoli, Eugenio Paccagnini, Mariangela Gentile, Giuseppe Morgante, Vincenzo De Leo, Giuseppe Belmonte, Natasa Zarovni and Paola Piomboni
Cells 2020, 9(5), 1121; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9051121 - 30 Apr 2020
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 7514
Abstract
Embryo implantation has been defined as the “black box” of human reproduction. Most of the knowledge on mechanisms underlining this process derives from animal models, but they cannot always be translated to humans. Therefore, the development of an in vitro/ex vivo model recapitulating [...] Read more.
Embryo implantation has been defined as the “black box” of human reproduction. Most of the knowledge on mechanisms underlining this process derives from animal models, but they cannot always be translated to humans. Therefore, the development of an in vitro/ex vivo model recapitulating as closely and precisely as possible the fundamental functional features of the human endometrial tissue is very much desirable. Here, we have validated endometrial organoids as a suitable 3D-model to studying epithelial endometrial interface for embryo implantation. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy analyses showed that organoids preserve the glandular organization and cell ultrastructural characteristics. They also retain the responsiveness to hormonal treatment specific to the corresponding phase of the menstrual cycle, mimicking the in vivo glandular-like aspect and functions. Noteworthy, organoids mirroring the early secretive phase show the development of pinopodes, large cytoplasmic apical protrusions of the epithelial cells, traditionally considered as reliable key features of the implantation window. Moreover, organoids express glycodelin A (GdA), a cycle-dependent marker of the endometrial receptivity, with its quantitative and qualitative features accounting well for the profile detected in the endometrium in vivo. Accordingly, organoids deriving from the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis show a GdA glycosylation pattern significantly different from healthy organoids, confirming our prior data on endometrial tissues. The present results strongly support the idea that organoids may closely recapitulate the molecular and functional characteristics of their cells/tissue of origin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Embryo Implantation)
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