Role of selectins and their ligands in human implantation stage

Ying Feng1,2, Xue Ma3, Liwen Deng4

  • 1Sichuan University - The Chinese University of Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.

Glycobiology
|January 25, 2017
PubMed

Selectins are a family of calcium-dependent, type I transmembrane, carbohydrate-binding glycoproteins. Selectins and their ligands are not only involved in physiological processes such as leukocyte homing and pathological processes such as cancer, but also play an essential role in the human implantation. L-selectin and its ligands participate in the adhesion of the blastocyst to the endometrium at the maternal-fetal interface. P-selectin and E-selectin are involved in immune recognition of maternal decidua to the embedded embryo as well as trophoblast migration within decidual spiral arterioles. Moreover, altered expression of selectins and their ligands are found to be associated with some abnormal pregnancies and infertilities. This review focuses on the current progress of research on the role of selectins and their ligands in the human implantation process.

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