Abstract: Endometriosis is a disease characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue including glands and stromas outside the uterine cavity, but the pathogenesis and etiology of endometriosis have not yet been understood thoroughly. Although endometriosis is a benign and chronic disease, it has some characters similar to the malignant tumors at the abilities of distant metastases and plant growth, such as invasion, proliferation, new angiogenesis and apoptosis. EZRIN belongs to ERM （ezrin-radixin-moesin） family of cytoskeletal proteins. This protein acts as a linker between the plasma membrane and the actin cytoskeleton. It is involved in cell adhesion and membrane ruffling and is very important for the formation of diverse actin-rich cell-surface structures. It also plays an important role in cell morphology, adhesiveness, migration, division, and so on. This review focuses on the structure and functions of EZRIN and the effects of EZRIN on the various human tumors and gynecological diseases, especially the effects on the endometriosis.

Key words: Endometriosis, Cytoskeleton, Cell movement, Cell adhesion, EZRIN