Role of activins in embryo implantation and diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy: a review

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology

Bassem Refaat¹ 

[1] Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, Makkah, PO Box 7607,Saudi Arabia

关键词: Early diagnosis;    Ectopic pregnancy;    Implantation;    Endometrium;    Fallopian tube;    Activin;   

Others  :  1139722
DOI  :  10.1186/1477-7827-12-116

 received in 2014-09-20, accepted in 2014-11-17,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Embryo implantation is a major prerequisite for the successful establishment of pregnancy. Ectopic implantation outside the intrauterine cavity and the development of ectopic pregnancy (EP) is a major cause of maternal morbidity and occasionally mortality during the first trimester. EP may be induced by failure of tubal transport and/or increased tubal receptivity. Activins, their type II receptors and follistatin have been localised in the human endometrial and tubal epithelium and they are major regulators of endometrial and tubal physiology during the menstrual cycle. Pathological expression of activins and their binding protein, follistatin, was observed in tissue and serum samples collected from EP. Several studies with different designs investigated the diagnostic value of a single measurement of serum activin-A in the differentiation between normal intrauterine and failing early pregnancy and the results are controversial. Nevertheless, the diagnostic value of activins in EP, including the other activin isoforms (activin-B and –AB) and follistatin, merits further research. This review appraises the data to date researching the role of activins in the establishment of normal pregnancy and, pathogenesis and diagnosis of tubal EP.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Refaat; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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