[Regulation of uterine blood flow. II. Functions of estrogen and estrogen receptor α/ß in genomic and non-genomic actions of the uterine endothelium]. / Regulación del flujo sanguíneo uterino. II. Funciones de estrógeno y receptores estrogénicos α/ß en acciones genómicas y no-genómicas del endotelio uterino.

Pregnancy is marked by changes and cardiovascular adaptations that are important for the maintenance and growth of the placenta and fetus. During this period, the uterine vascular adaptations manifest changes that can be classified as short or long term and they related to adaptations for vasodilation, angiogenic or remodeling. Estrogen and the classical estrogen receptors (ERs), ER-α and ER-ß, have been shown to be partially responsible for facilitating this dramatic increase in uterine blood flow needed during pregnancy. This literature review discusses the basis for structural diversity and functional selectivity of ERs by estrogen, the role of ERs on the genomic and non-genomic effects in endothelial cells of uterine arteries (UAEC). These themes integrate scientific knowledge about the molecular regulation of UAEC to maintain the physiological increase in uteroplacental perfusion observed during normal pregnancy.

[Regulation of uterine blood flow. I. Functions of estrogen and estrogen receptor α/ß in the uterine vascular endothelium during pregnancy]. / Regulación del flujo sanguíneo uterino. I. Funciones de estrógeno y receptores estrogénicos α/ß en el endotelio vascular uterino durante el embarazo.

Estrogen and classical estrogen receptors (ERs), ER-α and ER-ß, have been shown to be partially responsible for short and long term uterine endothelial adaptations during pregnancy. The molecular and structural differences, together with the various effects caused by these receptors in cells and tissues, suggest that their function varies depending upon estrogen and estrogen receptor signaling. In this review, we discuss the role of estrogen and its classic receptors in the cardiovascular adaptations during pregnancy and the expression of ERs in vivo and in vitro in the uterine artery endothelium during the ovarian cycle and pregnancy, while comparing their expression in arterial endothelium from reproductive and non-reproductive tissues. These themes integrate current knowledge of this broad scientific field with various interpretations and hypothesis that related estrogenic effects by either one or both ERs. This review also includes the relationship with vasodilator and angiogenic adaptations required to modulate the dramatic physiological increase to the uteroplacental perfusion observed during normal pregnancy.