Conceptus implantation and placentation: molecules related to epithelial–mesenchymal transition, lymphocyte homing, endogenous retroviruses, and exosomes

Abstract

Processes of conceptus implantation and placentation, unique to mammalian reproduction, have been extensively studied. It was once thought that processes of these events varied greatly, notably between invasive and noninvasive modes of implantation and/or placentation. Regardless of the mode of implantation, however, physiological and biochemical processes in conceptus implantation to the maternal endometrium including the kinds of gene expression and their products are now considered not to differ so much. Recent progress has identified that in addition to the hormones, cytokines, proteases and cell adhesion molecules classically characterized, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, molecules related to lymphocyte homing, the expression of endogenous retroviruses and possibly exosomes are all required for the progression of conceptus implantation to placentation. In this review, therefore, new findings related to these events are integrated into the context of conceptus implantation to the maternal endometrium.