Grant: Operating Grant

The human placenta is a highly invasive organ that invades into the underlying maternal tissues and vasculature, thereby ensuring a continuous blood supply to the developing fetus throughout pregnancy. Hence, the establishment of a successful pregnancy depends on the coordinated development of the embryo and the maternal endometrium. The goal of these studies is to define the roles of gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRHs) in human trophoblast and decidual cells. We will continue define the molecular mechanisms that mediate the biological actions of GnRH-I and GnRH-II on established cell culture models. A better understanding of the hormonal, cellular and molecular determinants of implantation and placentation will allow us to delineate the events involved in the establishment of pregnancy under normal and pathological conditions, and reduce the incidence of unfavourable maternal and fetal outcomes.