Successful implantation is critical for the development of the mammalian embryo.
This process involves a controlled invasion of the uterine wall by the embryonic trophoblast. The resulting differentiation of the uterine stroma to decidua is thought to provide a barrier to invasion. The hypothesis tested by our lab is that the decidual extracellular matrix plays a major role in controlling invasion. Our previous work has focused on stromal matrix remodeling, demonstrating an upregulation of basement membrane molecules. The work uses a 3-dimensional in vitro gel invasion assay to study trophoblast invasion.