Endometrial stem cells : Potential relevance for the pathogenesis of endometriosis?

Wolf M., Kiesel L., Götte M.

Abstract

In recent years the concept of adult stem cells mediating cyclic endometrial regeneration has become increasingly accepted. This hypothesis is supported by the identification of endometrial expression of stem cell markers such as Oct-4, Musashi-1 and telomerase, and by demonstration of the multi-lineage differentiation potential of clonal endometrial cells. Adult stem cells only represent a small percentage of all stromal and glandular cells of the endometrium; therefore, identification of additional specific markers to further characterize these cells is needed. A dysregulation of stem cell function is implicated in the pathogenesis of proliferative diseases of the endometrium, including endometriosis, the growth of ectopic endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. An induced differentiation of these cells may prove to be a fruitful therapeutic concept in the near future. Apart from endometrial tissue stem cells, bone marrow-derived stem cells have been identified in the endometrium, in addition to menstrual blood-derived stem cells. The latter may expand therapeutic options in regenerative medicine, e. g. for patients suffering from myocardial infarction. © 2009 Springer Medizin Verlag.