Investigating the role of uterine macrophages during the menstrual cycle and early pregnancy

人类子宫内膜是一种高度再生的组织，在月经周期、胚胎植入和早孕过程中经历动态变化。促进这些转化需要基质、上皮和内皮细胞等结构细胞群与免疫细胞群之间的复杂串扰。巨噬细胞是一种先天免疫细胞，在小鼠模型的生殖周期和早孕过程中发挥着重要和动态的作用，但我们对人类的了解相对较差。该项目的目的是阐明巨噬细胞和子宫内常驻结构细胞之间的这些复杂相互作用，并揭示这些相互作用如何促进组织重塑、胚胎植入和妊娠进展，以维持生殖健康和防止不良妊娠结局。

The human endometrium (uterus lining) is a highly regenerative tissue which undergoes dynamic changes throughout the menstrual cycle, embryo implantation and early pregnancy. Facilitating these transformations requires complex crosstalk between structural cell populations such as stromal, epithelial and endothelial cells, and immune cells populations. Macrophages are innate immune cells that play important and dynamic roles during reproductive cycles and early pregnancy in mouse models, however our understanding in humans is relatively poor in comparison. The aim of this project is to elucidate these complex interactions between macrophages and resident structural cells in the human uterus, and to reveal how these interactions facilitate tissue remodelling, embryo implantation and pregnancy progression to maintain reproductive health and prevent poor pregnancy outcomes.