Research Project
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
The human uterus is unique in that it exhibits a tremendous regenerative capacity that enables cyclical regeneration and remodeling throughout a woman's reproductive life. This plasticity of the reproductive system has recently been highlighted. We showed that functional endometrial tissue could be regenerated from only a small number of singly dispersed human endometrial cells, when they were transplanted beneath the kidney capsule of severely immunodeficient mice. This artificially generated endometrium resembles the natural endometrium, and contains human blood vessels which invade the mouse kidney parenchyma. Additionally, it mimics normal hormone-dependent changes including proliferation, differentiation, and tissue breakdown(menstruation). The regenerative capacity of endometrial cells makes them ideal candidates for tissue reconstitution, angiogenesis, and human-mouse chimeric vessel formation. The smooth muscle cells of the uterus (myometrium) share the plasticity of the endometrium. This is evidenced by their capacity for dramatic, repeatable, pregnancy-induced enlargement. Regeneration and remodeling in the female reproductive tract allude to the existence of endometrial and myometrial stem cell systems. Endometrial stem cells have already been described; however, no myometrial stem cells have been identified to date. We have recently isolated candidate populations of adult stem cells from both the human endometrium and myometrium using a Hoechst "side population" method. Characterization of these stem-like cells, along with the study of the mechanisms controlling their regeneration, will improve the understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of the female reproductive tract. Additionally, myometrial and endometrial stem-like cells might also represent a novel source of biological materials that could be used for the reconstruction of not only the human uterine components but other tissues/organs as well.
All 2008 2007 2006 2005 Other
All Journal Article (116 results) (of which Peer Reviewed: 47 results) Presentation (70 results) Patent(Industrial Property Rights) (2 results) (of which Overseas: 1 results)
Fertility and Sterility (In press)
J Obstet Gynecol Res (In press)
Mol Hum Reprod 14
Pages: 17-22
Endocrinology 149
Pages: 1227-1234
Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunoloev 324
Pages: 179-197
Fertility and Sterility (in press)
J Obstet Gynecol Res (in press)
Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology 324
Endocrinology 148
Pages: 896-902
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104
Pages: 1925-1930
Mol Hum Reprod 13
Pages: 141-148
Hum Reprod 22
Pages: 1279-1284
Exp Cell Res 313
Pages: 2550-2562
J Reprod Dev 53
Pages: 895-902
Reprod Med Biol 6
Pages: 151-156
J Assist Reprod Genet 24
Pages: 227-232
Pages: 233-240
Pages: 18700-18705
J Am Coil cardiol 49
Human Reproduction 22
Pages: 2615-2622
Hum Reprod 23
Pages: 435-439
10019550305
J Am Coll cardiol 49
J Assist Reprod Genet (In press)
Assist Reprod Genet (In press)
Mol Hum Reprod 13(3)
Pages: 1-8
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104(6)
Pages: 1925-30
Endocrinology 148(2)
Hum Cell 19
Pages: 38-42
Pages: 83-86
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91
Pages: 3208-3214
J Clin End Metab 91
Pages: 4050-4056
AIDS 20
Pages: 967-973
Pages: 98-117
Hum Cell 91
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91(10)
Pages: 4050-6
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91(8)
Pages: 3208-14
AIDS 20(7)
Pages: 967-73
Arch Androl 51
Pages: 55-64
J Assist Reprod Gene 22
Pages: 9-14
Obstet Gynecol 105
Pages: 1215-1218
Reprod Med Biol 4
Pages: 115-122
10015654605
J Perinat Med 33
Pages: 69-71
Hum Reprod 20
Pages: 2173-2178
Am J Med Genet 139A(2)
Pages: 156-158
Mol Hum Reprod 11
Pages: 677-681
Biol Reprod 73
Pages: 1219-1227
Endocrinology 146
Pages: 5365-5373
J Obstet Gynaecol Res 31
Pages: 242-246
J Assist Reprod Genet 22
Pages: 407-414
Endocr J 52
Pages: 781-784
10016916602
J Pineal Res 39
Pages: 261-265
Alcohol Clin Exp Res 29
Reprod Med Bio 4
Endocrine J. 52(6)
Endocrinology 146(12)
Biol Reprod. 73(6)
J Pineal Res. 39(3)
J.Obstet.Gynecol.Res. 31(3)
Obstet Gynecol. 105(5)
Reprod Med Biol. 4(2)
J. Assist Reprod Genet. 22(11-12)
Mol Hum Reprod. 11(9)
Arch Androl. 51(1)
J. Assist Reprod Gene 22(1)
J. Perinat Med 33(1)
Hum Reprod 20(8)
Am J Med Genet A 139(1)
AIDS (in press)