Menstrual Flow As a Non-invasive Source of Endometrial Organoids

Overview

Journal Commun Biol

Specialty Biology

Date 2021 Jun 18

PMID 34140633

Citations 27

Authors

Tereza Cindrova-Davies

Xiaohui Zhao

Kay Elder

Carolyn J P Jones

Ashley Moffett

Graham J Burton

Margherita Y Turco

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Assessment of the endometrium often necessitates a biopsy, which currently involves an invasive, transcervical procedure. Here, we present an alternative technique based on deriving organoids from menstrual flow. We demonstrate that organoids can be derived from gland fragments recovered from menstrual flow. To confirm they faithfully reflect the in vivo state we compared organoids derived from paired scratch biopsies and ensuing menstrual flow from patients undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF). We demonstrate that the two sets of organoids share the same transcriptome signature, derivation efficiency and proliferation rate. Furthermore, they respond similarly to sex steroids and early-pregnancy hormones, with changes in morphology, receptor expression, and production of 'uterine milk' proteins that mimic those during the late-secretory phase and early pregnancy. This technique has wide-ranging impact for non-invasive investigation and personalised approaches to treatment of common gynaecological conditions, such as endometriosis, and reproductive disorders, including failed implantation after IVF and recurrent miscarriage.

Citing Articles

Modelling Endometriosis Using In Vitro and In Vivo Systems.

Black V, Bafligil C, Greaves E, Zondervan K, Becker C, Hellner K Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(2).

PMID: 39859296 PMC: 11766166. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26020580.

Exploring the black box of human reproduction: endometrial organoids and assembloids - generation, implantation modeling, and future clinical perspectives.

Kleinova M, Varga I, cehakova M, Valent M, Klein M Front Cell Dev Biol. 2024; 12:1482054.

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Investigating Menstruation and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Oxymoron or New Frontier? A Narrative Review.

Tindal K, Cousins F, Ellery S, Palmer K, Gordon A, Filby C J Clin Med. 2024; 13(15).

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Pathogenesis of Endometriosis and Endometriosis-Associated Cancers.

Adilbayeva A, Kunz J Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(14).

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Secretion of WNT7A by UC-MSCs assist in promoting the endometrial epithelial regeneration.

Liu F, Lin Q, Shen S, Li Z, Xie X, Cheng Q iScience. 2024; 27(6):109888.

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