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Elsevier, Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 2(10), p. 217-223

DOI: 10.1016/s1472-6483(10)60943-1

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Leptin system in embryo development and implantation: a protein in search of a function

Journal article published in 2005 by A. Cervero, Ja Horcajadas, F. Domínguez ORCID, A. Pellicer, C. Simón
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Abstract

Implantation is a crucial moment in the reproduction process that requires perfect synchronization between the embryo and the maternal endometrium. The embryo must reach the blastocyst stage and the endometrium must be prepared to receive it. An appropriate and specific molecular dialogue must also take place between them. There is ample evidence to show that the leptin system is implicated in this cross-talk. Examples are described. Although there is some controversy surrounding the data, they are supported by the presence of leptin receptor mRNA in mouse and human oocytes and embryos throughout preimplantation development. Otherwise, the leptin mRNA is only detected at the blastocyst stage in both human and mouse. Furthermore, leptin is found at higher concentrations in the conditioned media from competent human blastocysts than in those from arrested embryos, suggesting that this molecule is a marker for blastocyst viability. Given that expression of the leptin receptor increases in the human endometrium during the luteal phase, the secreted leptin could trigger its activation. Finally, leptin and the leptin receptor have been detected in implantation sites. All these findings point to the involvement of the leptin system in the molecular mechanism of the implantation process and embryo development.