The Faculty in Reproductive Biology at Illinois

Indrani C. Bagchi

Veterinary Biosciences
Ph.D., University of Nebraska

To e-mail Dr. Bagchi use: ibagchi@uiuc.edu

Molecular Basis of Steroid Hormone Action in the Female Reproductive Tract : The research in my laboratory is directed towards understanding the molecular basis of steroid hormone action in the female reproductive tract during embryonic implantation. Implantation of the embryo into the wall of the uterus is a crucial event in mammalian embryogenesis. The initiation of the complex interactions between the embryo and the endometrium is determined by a timely interplay of the ovarian hormones, estrogen and progesterone. These hormones induce pronounced changes in cell proliferation and differentiation in the uterus and prepare it to be "receptive" to the invasion of the embryo. At the cellular level, estrogen and progesterone act through their respective nuclear receptors, which function as modulators of expression of specific gene networks. The central goal of my laboratory is to isolate, identify, and functionally characterize the steroid-regulated genes that are key to embryo implantation.

We have recently utilized the cDNA micro array analysis to identify estrogen- and progesterone-regulated genes, which are potential regulators of uterine function during implantation. We have identified several genes, which are either up- or down-regulated by specific estrogen or progesterone receptor modulators in rodent endometrium during implantation. A major goal of my laboratory is to determine the patterns of spatio-temporal expression and hormonal regulation of these putative implantation stage-specific genes in the endometrium. We are also investigating the roles of certain candidate genes during implantation by performing functional knock-outs by targeted germ line mutagenesis. We have also developed in the laboratory a methodology to specifically manipulate gene expression in the uterus by employing antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs). Using this technique, we have demonstrated that the peptide hormone calcitonin, which is induced by progesterone in the uterus, plays a critical role at the time of implantation. In this way, using a combination of various molecular, cellular, and genetic approaches, we hope to gain insights into as yet unknown pathways regulated by the steroid hormone, which control embryo-endometrial interactions.

News Items

Absence of critical protein linked to infertility

Selected Publications:

Year 1999-2001

Year 2002-2004

Last updated June 11th, 2004

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