Reproduction Abstracts

Introduction: Decidualisation occurs in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, transforming endometrial stromal cells to secretory decidual stromal cells (DSC). Extensive cross-talk occurs between DSC and immune cells. In the first trimester of pregnancy the decidua is rich with maternal leukocytes, made up of ~70% NK cells and ~20% macrophages. The number of NK and macrophage cells increases during decidualisation and into the first trimester of pregnancy. Decidual NK (d...

Introduction: Decidual macrophages constitute the second largest leukocyte cell type in the decidua during early pregnancy, and have been implicated in the regulation of extravillous trophoblast (EVT) invasion. Macrophage cells in the decidua are thought to have an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype and the presence of macrophages with a more pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype has been associated with preeclampsia. The aim of this study was to determine whether decidual macrophage pola...

Human pregnancy represents a unique immunological environment. However, very little is known about the role of uterine decidual macrophages (dMs) in early human pregnancy. The monocytic cell line (THP1) was activated and polarised to a pro-inflammatory M1 or immunosuppressive M2 M phenotype and the conditioned media was used to treat fetally-derived trophoblast cells. Treatment with M1 conditioned media was found to significantly reduce trophoblast motility in vitro, ...

Background: Spiral artery remodelling is crucial for a successful pregnancy. In a healthy human pregnancy, cells of the placenta called extravillous trophoblasts (EVT) invade into the decidua and interact with the endothelial cells (EC) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) of the maternal spiral arteries (SA) in a process known as spiral artery remodelling. This process results in the development of low-resistance, dilated SAs that increase the blood supply to the developin...

Introduction: Decidualisation of the endometrium is the differentiation of uterine stromal cells into specialised secretory decidual stromal cells (DSC) primed for pregnancy. If pregnancy occurs, DSC control and regulate fetal trophoblast invasion. Pre-eclampsia is a disorder associated with inadequate trophoblast invasion and spiral artery (SA) remodelling. Uterine artery Doppler resistance index (RI) in the first trimester of pregnancy measures the extent of SA remodelling; ...