About this Research Topic
Tissues are the new frontier of discoveries in reproductive immunology. Immune cells are an integral part of tissue physiology and immunity. Determining how immune cells inhabit, adapt, and defend the uterus can help reveal the intimate details of tissue physiology and may provide novel therapeutic targets for treating pathologies.
The uterine microenvironment modulates the survival, development, maintenance, and function of innate lymphoid cells [ILC, mainly represented by natural killer (NK) cells], macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, and MDSC. These immune cells, in turn, contribute to tissue remodeling and homeostasis. The uterine endometrium is a multicellular tissue that undergoes dynamic remodeling to build a complex microenvironment suitable for pregnancy. In response to ovarian hormones, the uterine endometrium undergoes extensive monthly breakdown and regeneration, with its epithelial, stromal, glandular, vascular, and immune cells remodeled into receptive tissue suitable for blastocyst implantation. Even more transformative changes occur upon blastocyst implantation. Sequential events require tissue remodeling and immune cell engagement, including deciduation, embryo trophoblast cell invasion, spiral artery remodeling, and placenta formation. All of these processes are accompanied by and regulated by changes in the uterine microenvironment, including soluble factors (such as hormones, cytokines, and growth factors), oxygen, extracellular matrix proteins, and others. Determining the biology and pathology of the uterine microenvironment and its immune cells will help understand the causes of major uterine disease and pregnancy complications.
The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a forum to advance research on how the everchanging uterine microenvironment affects immune cells and how immune cells regulate homeostasis of the endometrium, decidua, placenta development, and fetal growth.
We welcome Original Research articles and Reviews addressing, but are not limited to the following issues:
(1) Biology and pathology of the uterine microenvironment during pregnancy;
(2) Biology and pathology of the non-pregnant uterine microenvironment (menstrual cycle, infections, endometriosis, endometrial, and other gynaecological cancers);
(3) Development and function of uterine immune cells;
(4) Interactions of uterine immune cells with maternal decidual cells, fetal cells (e.g. extravillous trophoblast), or with any other components of the uterine environment.
Please Note: We do not accept research that only consists of bioinformatics analysis of either public databases or author-generated omics data.
The uterine microenvironment modulates the survival, development, maintenance, and function of innate lymphoid cells [ILC, mainly represented by natural killer (NK) cells], macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, and MDSC. These immune cells, in turn, contribute to tissue remodeling and homeostasis. The uterine endometrium is a multicellular tissue that undergoes dynamic remodeling to build a complex microenvironment suitable for pregnancy. In response to ovarian hormones, the uterine endometrium undergoes extensive monthly breakdown and regeneration, with its epithelial, stromal, glandular, vascular, and immune cells remodeled into receptive tissue suitable for blastocyst implantation. Even more transformative changes occur upon blastocyst implantation. Sequential events require tissue remodeling and immune cell engagement, including deciduation, embryo trophoblast cell invasion, spiral artery remodeling, and placenta formation. All of these processes are accompanied by and regulated by changes in the uterine microenvironment, including soluble factors (such as hormones, cytokines, and growth factors), oxygen, extracellular matrix proteins, and others. Determining the biology and pathology of the uterine microenvironment and its immune cells will help understand the causes of major uterine disease and pregnancy complications.
The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a forum to advance research on how the everchanging uterine microenvironment affects immune cells and how immune cells regulate homeostasis of the endometrium, decidua, placenta development, and fetal growth.
We welcome Original Research articles and Reviews addressing, but are not limited to the following issues:
(1) Biology and pathology of the uterine microenvironment during pregnancy;
(2) Biology and pathology of the non-pregnant uterine microenvironment (menstrual cycle, infections, endometriosis, endometrial, and other gynaecological cancers);
(3) Development and function of uterine immune cells;
(4) Interactions of uterine immune cells with maternal decidual cells, fetal cells (e.g. extravillous trophoblast), or with any other components of the uterine environment.
Please Note: We do not accept research that only consists of bioinformatics analysis of either public databases or author-generated omics data.
Keywords: Uterine microenvironment, Uterine immune cells
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
