Signal Transduction in Human Embryo Implantation

Signal Transduction Upstream and Downstream of Trophinin in Human Embryo Implantation

The processes associated with mammalian embryo implantation differ substantially among mammalian species (1). Studies in mouse established that the initial adhesion is mediated by an epidermal growth factor family receptor, ErbB4, expressed on the trophectoderm surface and a membrane-bound ligand, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like factor (HB-EGF), on the endometrial epithelium (2, 3)...

Human implantation Implantation of the human embryo

Implantation of the Human Embryo

Implantation is the final frontier to embryogenesis and successful pregnancy. Over the past three decades, there have been tremendous advances in the understanding of human embryo development. Since the advent of In Vitro Fertilization, the embryo has been readily available to study outside the body. Indeed, the study has led to much advancement in embryonic stem cell derivation. Unfortunately,...

Human pre-implantation embryo development.

Understanding human pre-implantation development has important implications for assisted reproductive technology (ART) and for human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based therapies. Owing to limited resources, the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing this early stage of human development are poorly understood. Nonetheless, recent advances in non-invasive imaging techniques and molecular and g...

Ligand-activated signal transduction in the 2-cell embryo.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is an autocrine trophic/survival factor for the preimplantation embryo. PAF induced an increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in the 2-cell embryo that had an absolute requirement for external calcium. L-type calcium channel blockers (diltiazem, verapamil, and nimodipine) significantly inhibited PAF-induced Ca2+ transients, but inhibitors of P...