Description
During the invasive phase of implantation, trophoblasts and maternal decidual stromal cells secrete products that regulate trophoblast differentiation and migration into the maternal endometrium. Paracrine interactions between the extravillous trophoblast and the maternal decidua are important for successful embryonic implantation, including establishing the placental vasculature, anchoring the placenta to the uterine wall, and promoting immuno-acceptance of the fetal allograph. Global cross-talk between the trophoblast and the decidua has not been elucidated to date, and the current study used a functional genomics approach to investigate these paracrine interactions.