Macrophages are white blood cells that help prevent and alert the immune system to the threat of a pathogenic infection. Interestingly, macrophages are present in the uterus and ovaries at the time of conception. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation , Sarah Robertson and colleagues at the University of Adelaide investigated the role of macrophages in early pregnancy. The team utilized a mouse model in which macrophages could be depleted immediately after embryo implantation. They found that without macrophages, embryos were unable to implant in the uterus. The failure to implant was thought to be caused by reduced levels of certain hormones, such as progesterone and vascular endothelial growth factors. Pregnancy could be completely restored by either the addition of macrophages or through administration of progesterone. These findings shed light on a new function of macrophages, as well as a potentially correctable cause of infertility.
TITLE:
Macrophages regulate corpus luteum development during embryo implantation in mice
AUTHOR CONTACT:
Sarah Robertson
The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, UNK, AUS
Phone: +618 8303 4094; Fax: +618 8303 4099; E-mail: sarah.robertson@adelaide.edu.au
View this article at:
Journal of Clinical Investigation