Investigating the FRT. Ver.1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the Human Female Reproductive Tract in Health and Disease.
IRAS ID
260354
Contact name
Ingrid Granne
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford / Clinical Trials and Research Governance
Duration of Study in the UK
10 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The uterus and ovaries are two of the main components of the female reproductive tract. In the uterus, the endometrium is the innermost lining, and is comprised of multiple cell types, such as epithelium, endothelium, stromal and immune cells. Throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle the endometrium undergoes dynamic cellular changes, which prepares the tissue for embryo implantation. If a pregnancy is not established, the endometrial layer is shed in menstruation and reformed as the cycle starts again. Beneath the endometrium is the myometrium, which is not lost in menstruation, this also contains endothelium, stromal and immune cells, amongst others. For the establishment of pregnancy, certain cellular conditions are required, and endometrial dysfunction is implicated in disorders such as subfertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, recurrent implantation failure. A variety of endometrial pathologies are also known, such as endometriosis, where endometrial tissue is abnormal in its composition and/or location. In endometriosis, cysts or nodules of endometrium are located outside of the uterus (ectopic tissue). In adenomyosis endometrial tissue grows into the muscle wall of the uterus. Other reproductive tract disorders effect maternal health, such as pelvic pain, fibroids, ovarian cysts, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
This study aims to investigate the cellular composition of tissues associated with female reproductive tract disorders. Uterine samples (such as endometrium or myometrium) or lesions/cysts (eutopic/ectopic endometrium) or pathological tissue from the female reproductive tract have already been collected and stored; these samples will be used to identify dysregulated cells and proteins associated with pathologies. This will help us: a) understand these diseases, b) identify disease biomarkers, and c) identify therapeutic targets for treating patients who have endometrial associated diseases.REC name
South Central - Oxford A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/SC/0647
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jan 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion