Elucidating endometrial function in the post-genomic era

Abstract

The post-genomic era has now arrived, and science and biology are on the threshold of a transition from understanding functions of single molecules and pathways in cells, tissues and whole organisms to understanding integrative systems. The endometrium is a dynamic tissue that responds to multiple stimuli, depending on physiological and environmental conditions, including steroid hormones, an implanting conceptus, withdrawal of steroid hormones, contraceptive steroids, selective steroid hormone receptor modulators, infection, transient cell populations, and metaplastic and neoplastic agents. High throughput technologies with regard to DNA, RNA and proteins are well positioned to enable a thorough understanding of the dynamic changes and integrative systems involved in endometrial maturation, desquamation, receptivity to implantation, infertility, pregnancy maintenance and failure, inflammation and infection, and malignant transformation. This monograph reviews some of the salient features of the new technologies and summarizes current information on endometrial biology derived from these approaches.