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Human Reproduction Update Advance Access originally published online on September 7, 2006
Human Reproduction Update 2007 13(1):87-101; doi:10.1093/humupd/dml045
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
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Uterine stem cells: What is the evidence?

C.E. Gargett1,2

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University and 2 Centre for Women’s Health Research, Monash Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Monash University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia. E-mail: caroline.gargett{at}med.monash.edu.au


  Abstract

The mucosal lining (endometrium) of the human uterus undergoes cyclical processes of regeneration, differentiation and shedding as part of the menstrual cycle. Endometrial regeneration also follows parturition, almost complete resection and in post-menopausal women taking estrogen replacement therapy. In non-menstruating species, there are cycles of endometrial growth and apoptosis rather than physical shedding. The concept that endometrial stem/progenitor cells are responsible for the remarkable regenerative capacity of endometrium was proposed many years ago. However, attempts to isolate, characterize and locate endometrial stem cells have only been undertaken in the last few years as experimental approaches to identify adult stem/progenitor cells in other tissues have been developed. Adult stem cells are defined by their functional properties rather than by marker expression. Evidence for the existence of adult stem/progenitor cells in human and mouse endometrium is now emerging because functional stem cell assays are being applied to uterine cells and tissues. These fundamental studies on endometrial stem/progenitor cells will provide new insights into the pathophysiology of various gynaecological disorders associated with abnormal endometrial proliferation, including endometrial cancer, endometrial hyperplasia, endometriosis and adenomyosis.

Key words: adult stem cells / endometrium / human / mouse / uterus


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