6533b870fe1ef96bd12cefa3
RESEARCH PRODUCT
MUCI, glycans and the cell-surface barrier to embryo implantation
Carlos SimónCarolyn J.p. JonesMarcos MeseguerJohn D. AplinM. E. OrtizHoracio B. Croxattosubject
medicine.medical_specialtyanimal structuresMucinCellEmbryoBiologyEndometriumBiochemistryCell biologyGlycocalyxmedicine.anatomical_structureEndocrinologyInternal medicineembryonic structuresmedicineOviductCell adhesionMUC1description
As it approaches the maternal surface, the attaching embryo encounters the epithelial glycocalyx, which contains the mucin, MUC1. A high density of MUC1 at the cell surface can inhibit cell adhesion. This raises the possibility of the existence of a uterine barrier to implantation that might allow maternal rejection of poorer quality embryos. To investigate the mechanism of implantation, human embryos were incubated with endometrial epithelial monolayers. Hatched blastocysts were found to attach readily to the epithelial surface. MUC1 was lost from epithelial cells beneath and near to the attached embryo, while normal expression persisted in neighbouring cells.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-05-01 | Biochemical Society Transactions |