IMR Press / FBE / Volume 1 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.2741/E40

Frontiers in Bioscience-Elite (FBE) is published by IMR Press from Volume 13 Issue 2 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.

Article
Role of cytokines in the endometrial-peritoneal cross-talk and development of endometriosis
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1 Leuven University Fertility Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, B3000 Leuven, Belgium
2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
3 Division of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Primate Research, P.O Box 24481, Karen 00502, Nairobi, Kenya
4 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National Health Center, Budapest, Hungary
Front. Biosci. (Elite Ed) 2009, 1(2), 444–454; https://doi.org/10.2741/E40
Published: 1 June 2009
Abstract

A clear picture of the dynamic relationship between the endometrium and peritoneum is emerging as both tissues may participate in the spontaneous development of endometriosis. Various adhesion molecules, pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemoattractants cytokines have emerged as central coordinators of endometrial-peritoneal interactions. The peritoneal microenvironment which consists of the peritoneal fluid, normal peritoneum and peritoneal endometriotic lesions may play an active role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, by harbouring most inflammatory responses that are triggered by the presence of endometrial cells, leading to recruitment of activated macrophages and leukocytes locally. Menstrual endometrium has the ability to bond and invade the peritoneal tissue. In baboons intrapelvic injection of menstrual endometrium permits the study of early endometrial-peritoneal interaction in an in vivo culture microenvironment and can lead to important insight in the early development of endometriotic lesions. In this review, we discuss the roles of the endometrial-peritoneal interactions, not only in disease development but also in the broader process of aetiopathogenesis.

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