The pre-implantation period in the mouse is characterized by a dramatic but transient
inflammation-like reaction induced in the endometrium by seminal vesicle-derived moieties
in the ejaculate including TGFβ. Leukocytes infiltrating the endometrium during this
response are implicated in the immunological changes and extensive tissue remodeling
required to accommodate the conceptus during implantation and placental development.
The movements and functional behavior of these cells are thought to be orchestrated by a …