BACKGROUND Uterine natural killer cells (uNK) are the most abundant lymphocytes found
in the decidua during implantation and in first trimester pregnancy. They are important for …

The role of the maternal immune system in reproductive success in humans remains
controversial. Here we focus on the events that occur in the maternal decidua during the first …

Activation of natural killer (NK) cells with the cytokines interleukin-12 (IL-12), IL-15, and IL-18
induces their differentiation into memory-like (ML) NK cells; however, the underlying …

Oxygen levels in the placental microenvironment throughout gestation are not constant, with
severe hypoxic conditions present during the first trimester. This hypoxic phase overlaps …

Endometriosis is characterized by the growth of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. It
affects many women during their reproductive age, causing years of pelvic pain and …

Tissues are the new frontier of discoveries in immunology. Cells of the immune system are
an integral part of tissue physiology and immunity. Determining how immune cells inhabit …

Embryo implantation in humans is interstitial, meaning the entire conceptus embeds in the
endometrium before the placental trophoblast invades beyond the uterine mucosa into the …

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are the most abundant immune cells in the uterine mucosa both
before and during pregnancy. Circumstantial evidence suggests they play important roles in …

Exosomes are a subset of extracellular vesicles with an average diameter of~ 100nm.
Exosomes are released by all cells through an endosome-dependent pathway and carry …

Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are an immune subset located in the uterus. uNK cells have
distinct tissue-specific characteristics compared to their counterparts in peripheral blood and …