The proper development of uterus to a state of receptivity and the attainment of implantation competency for blastocyst are 2 indispensable aspects for implantation, which is considered to be a critical event for successful pregnancy. Like many developmental processes, a large number of transcription factors, such as homeobox genes, have been shown to orchestrate this complicated but highly organized physiological process during implantation. In this review, we focus on progress in studies of the role of homeobox genes, especially the Hox and Msx gene families, during implantation, together with subsequent development of post-implantation uterus and related reproductive defects in both mouse models and humans, that have led to better understanding of how implantation is precisely regulated and provide new insights into infertility.
Keywords: homeobox genes; implantation; infertility; transcription factors.