Functions of uterine natural killer (uNK) cells during mouse pregnancy are maintenance of
decidua basalis and promotion of uterine spiral artery modification, a process that results in
thin-walled, dilated, elongated arteries with lowered resistance. Murine models indicate
spiral artery modifications are triggered by release of the cytokine interferon (IFN)-γ from
uNK cells. The purpose of this study was to determine if human IFN-γ could induce structural
changes in the unmodified spiral arteries found in pregnant, alymphoid (uNK-, NK-, T-, B-) …