Cytokines and Their Receptors in the Peri-implantation Endometrium

When one considers the endometrium as a target for contraception, it is necessary to survey briefly what has been achieved heretofore, and how new knowledge has expanded the potential for development of antifertility agents which could specifically disrupt the implantation process. Until recently our understanding of the events occurring in the endometrium and the signaling between the developing embryo and the endometrium was scanty. Consequently the discovery of leads that might permit identification of agents to disrupt the implantation process was limited to hormonal and antihormonal compounds. Although the various hormonal and antihormonal approaches have merit, and one can envisage combination treatments being even more effective, they all have the potential problem of lack of specificity. Now that more specific factors controlling the implantation process are being uncovered, a path to the development of more specific implantation inhibitors appears possible.