Uterine natural killer cells and recurrent spontaneous abortion
Yaoyao Fu, Chune Ren, Pengyun Qiao, Yuhan Meng
Abstract
Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), termed as two or more consecutive pregnancy loss is a great problem for some women of childbearing age. A large number of evidence confirm that there may be an immune background of RSA. As a member of the innate immune system, uterine natural killer (uNK) cells account for about 70% of total lymphocytes during pregnancy and play a critical role in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. This review mainly introduces the phenotype, origin, receptor, and function of uNK cells to illuminate its relationship with RSA.
Topics & Concepts
AbortionPregnancyImmune systemNatural killer cellInnate immune systemImmunologyBiologyPhenotypeCytotoxic T cellGeneticsIn vitroGeneReproductive System and PregnancyImmune Cell Function and InteractionEndometriosis Research and Treatment