IMR Press / FBS / Volume 3 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.2741/S184

Frontiers in Bioscience-Scholar (FBS) is published by IMR Press from Volume 13 Issue 1 (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

Uterine receptivity to implantation of blastocysts in mammals

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1 Department of Animal Science, Texas A and M, University College Station, TX 77843-2471
2 Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A and M, University College Station, TX 77843-2471
3 Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, 599 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-921, Korea

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

 

Front. Biosci. (Schol Ed) 2011, 3(2), 745–767; https://doi.org/10.2741/S184
Published: 1 January 2011
Abstract

Reproduction in mammals is a highly complex biological process. The critical importance of reproduction to propagation of species required the natural evolution of various strategies that vary considerably across species. Regardless of species, a dialogue between the developing conceptus (embryo-fetus and associated placental membranes) and maternal uterus must be established during the peri-implantation period. The uterus must provide a microenvironment that supports growth and development of the conceptus and is receptive to implantation. During the same period, the conceptus must provide its pregnancy recognition signaling to sustain the functional life of corpora lutea for production of progesterone which is essential for implantation and placentation; critical events for successful pregnancy. However, it is within the peri-implantation period that most embryonic deaths occur due to deficiencies attributed to uterine functions or to the failure of the conceptus to develop appropriately, signal pregnancy recognition and/or undergo implantation and placentation. The challenge is to understand the complexity of key mechanisms that are characteristic of successful reproduction in humans and animals and to use that knowledge to enhance fertility and reproductive health or to establish acceptable methods for control of fertility.

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