Animal models for research on endometriosis

Endometriosis results from the aberrant growth of endometrium outside the inner lining of the uterine cavity. Similar to humans, the primates also menstruate and hence, the primate models constitute the gold standard for studying the pathogenesis and potential treatment for this disabling disease in women. Due to the expense in carrying endometriosis research in primates, other models have been developed for understanding the pathobiology and potential treatment of endometriosis. This includes explanting human endometrial tissues in athymic nude mice or using homologous mouse models. Here, we examine the murine models of endometriosis, the impact of forced induced inflammation on its development, similarities in the gene expression profile in the endometriotic tissues in such models with that seen in human endometriosis, and the drugs that are being used in such models as potential new treatment for endometriosis.