Telocytes in the architecture of uterine fibroids

Knowledge of uterine fibroids has existed since the time of Hippocrates. However, there are still wide gaps in the understanding of its pathogenesis. No single theory explains the background of uterine fi broid pathology, which aff ects more than 50% of women worldwide. By contrast, a newly depicted cell type called telocytes was only recently identifi ed in the past twenty years. These cells have evoked ambivalent opinions in the scientifi c community. Th e unique features of telocytes coupled with experimental evidence by numerous researchers and our hypotheses and conceptions are discussed in this review. We emphasize the main telocyte interactions in the context of the uterine fibroid architecture. This review reveals the pivotal role of telocytes, describing their contacts with smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, vessels and nerves, inflammatory cells and stem cells. Our data are based on the latest publications and our own results