Somatic Stem Cells in Endometriosis

• Characterization of endometrial stem cells through Flow Citometry and Side Population techniques and In vitro culture cellular proliferation to then characterize the cell population through molecular and cellular techniques. [ Time Frame: TWO YEARS ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

Throughout the life of the woman, the endometrium undergoes a series of continuous modifications that require a highly accurate feedback mechanism and specialized and must be based on the activity of the stem cell population.

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent chronic disease characterized by the presence of functional endometrium outside the uterine cavity, mainly in the peritoneum and ovary (Giudice and Kao, 2004). It affects 6-10% of women of reproductive age, often resulting in a series of gynecological problems, including dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain and infertility. The nature of endometriosis suggests that the initiation of ectopic endometrial lesions may be due to stem or progenitor cells, which is consistent with the theory of retrograde menstruation (Starzinski-Powitz et al. 2001; Leyendecker et al. 2002, Gargett, 2006; Gargett, 2007, Sasson and Taylor, 2008). To date, no direct evidence of the role of somatic stem cells of the endometrium in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. However, numerous studies show that ectopic endometrial cells implant in many established models used for the study of endometriosis.(Masuda et al., 2007b; Sasson and Taylor, 2008; Gargett y Masuda.,2010)