Dynamic endometrial architecture of pregnant fat-tailed dunnarts (Sminthopsis crassicaudata)

Understanding how pregnancy works in marsupials is essential to developing new ways to protect some of Australia's most vulnerable species. Marsupial pregnancy is very short, only 2 weeks in the fat-tailed dunnart, and for most of the pregnancy, the embryo needs nutrients to be provided by the inner lining of the uterus, the endometrium. This work examined structures of the endometrium which support pregnancy in the fat-tailed dunnart. We found an extremely high number of glands, which provide nutrients to the developing embryo, and changes in the surface of the endometrium to allow connection with the embryo, structural support, and the transfer of nutrients and waste. Our study highlights how the fat-tailed dunnart endometrium supports pregnancy in a marsupial, providing foundations for ongoing research into their reproduction. This will ultimately help us develop new conservation tools to support marsupial reproduction.