The role of the Phosphoinositide signal transduction pathway in the endometrium

The regulation of calcium concentration triggers physiological events in all cell types (Berridge 1993). Unregulated elevation in calcium concentrations is often cytotoxic (Annunziato 2003). In fact, uncontrolled calcium levels alter proteins’ function, apoptosis regulation, as well as proliferation, secretion and contraction. Calcium levels are tightly regulated by (Berridge 1993; Berridge 1994). A great interest was paid to signal transduction pathways for their role in mammalian reproduction. The role of PI signal transduction pathway and related Phosphoinositide-specific Phospholipase C (PI-PLC) enzymes in the regulation of calcium levels was actively studied and characterized. However, the role of PI signaling and PI-PLC enzymes in the endometrium is far to be completely highlighted. In the present review the role of PI, the expression of selected PI-PLC enzymes and the crosstalk with further signaling systems in the endometrium will be discussed.