ABSTRACT
This chapter reveals that the main goal of scientific research in the field of reproductive medicine is to find the master key that identifies a controlled tolerance of the endometrium to an aggressive embryo. Endometrial receptivity is a complex function requiring the precise coordination of multiple systems to establish the proper environment for embryo implantation. The Endometrial receptivity array (ERA) tool was tested in a prospective study of patients with different stages of endometriosis to investigate transcriptomic modifications of their endometrium. This chapter presents the current knowledge regarding the cellular and biological mechanisms underlying endometrial receptivity and discusses its diagnostic and clinical relevance. The absence of an integrin subunit has been associated with the diagnosis of endometriosis. The coordinated integration of many different molecules is required for the acquisition of endometrial receptivity. The transcriptomic signature of endometrial receptivity has been translated to clinical practice as the ERA, although now the test is performed using next-generation sequencing (NGS).
