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Isolation of Leukocytes from the Human Maternal-fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Collagen at the maternal-fetal interface in human pregnancy
Jia-Wei Shi1,2, Zhen-Zhen Lai2, Hui-Li Yang2
1NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
The survival and development of a semi-allogenic fetus during pregnancy require special immune tolerance microenvironment at the maternal fetal interface. During the establishment of a successful pregnancy, the endometrium undergoes a series of changes, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) breaks down and remodels. Collagen is one of the most abundant ECM. Emerging evidence has shown that collagen and its fragment are expressed at the maternal fetal interface. The regulation of expression of collagen is quite complex, and this process involves a multitude of factors. Collagen exerts a critical role during the successful pregnancy. In addition, the abnormal expressions of collagen and its fragments are associated with certain pathological states associated with pregnancy, including recurrent miscarriage, diabetes mellitus with pregnancy, preeclampsia and so on. In this review, the expression and potential roles of collagen under conditions of physiological and pathological pregnancy are systematically discussed.
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