Abstract: Endometriosis represents an enigmatic disease, characterized by the presence of functional endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, which causes pelvic pain and in some cases infertility. Its etiology is still not
fully understood, several hypotheses trying to explain the development of the ectopic endometrial tissue. An important concept is that the endometriosis would represent a local inflammatory pelvic process, with altered cellular immune response in the peritoneal environment. The immune peritoneal system is a complex system, which includes different types of cells and its products (cytokines), which may interact autocrine, paracrine and some times endocrine. The present article offers a comprehensive overview of immunological factors involved in the genesis, development and progression of the disease, with emphasis on inflammatory cytokines, growth and adhesion factors. Keywords: endometriosis, cytokine, growth
factor, adhesion factor