Uterine Wnt/beta-catenin Signaling is Required for Implantation

Overview

Journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Specialty Science

Date 2005 Jun 3

PMID 15930138

Citations 96

Authors

Othman A Mohamed

Maud Jonnaert

Cassandre Labelle-Dumais

Kazuki Kuroda

Hugh J Clarke

Daniel Dufort

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Successful implantation relies on precisely orchestrated and reciprocal signaling between the implanting blastocyst and the receptive uterus. We have examined the role of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway during the process of implantation and demonstrate that this pathway is activated during two distinct stages. Wnt/beta-catenin signaling is first transiently activated in circular smooth muscle forming a banding pattern of activity within the uterus on early day 4. Subsequently, activation is restricted to the luminal epithelium at the prospective site of implantation. Activation at both sites requires the presence of the blastocyst. Furthermore, inhibition of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling interferes with the process of implantation. Our results demonstrate that the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway plays a central role in coordinating uterus-embryo interactions required for implantation.

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