Proteinases are likely effectors of endometrial menstrual breakdown. We have investigated proteinase production by human endometrial stromal cells subjected in vitro to progesterone (P) withdrawal, the physiologic stimulus for menstruation. Culture media of cells exposed to estradiol, P, or estradiol plus P had low levels of proteolytic activity similar to cultures maintained in the absence of ...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of mRNA and protein for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in human cultured endometrial stromal cells. The endometrial stromal cells were cultured in the absence or the presence of cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1beta and interferon (IFN)-gamma, which are inherently detectable in the endometrium. Nested reverse transcriptio...

A highly reproducible and technically straightforward technique for the isolation and long-term culture of normal human endometrial epithelial cells is described. The essential conditions for long-term culture are that the cells be seeded onto a gelatin matrix and that 'endothelial cell growth supplement' be present in the culture medium. Normal endometrial epithelial cells express cytokeratins...

Atypical stromal cells of the lower female gynecologic tract have been specifically described in the vagina, vulva, and cervix, predominantly in the context of polyps. Rare cases of atypical stromal cells have been documented in the endometrium. We report a series of 15 examples of atypical stromal cells in the endometrium: 13 in endometrial polyps and two within endometrial stroma in curettage...

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the percentage of the stem cells population in human endometrial tissue sections and cultured cells at fourth passage. Methods: Human endometrial specimens were divided into two parts, one part for morphological studies and the other part for in vitro culture. Full thickness of human normal endometrial sections and cultured endometrial cells ...

Endometrial decidualization results from the differentiation of stromal cells in an ovarian steroid-sensitive manner. Human endometrial tissues obtained from fertile women at various stages of the menstrual cycle were subjected to immunohistochemistry to localize the components of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) system. TGF-beta receptor-I and -II expression was higher in stromal...

The World Health Organization (WHO 2003) recognizes 3 endometrial stromal neoplasms: noninvasive endometrial stromal nodule and the 2 invasive neoplasms, endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS), low grade and undifferentiated endometrial sarcoma (UES). It is important to note that the WHO 2003 does not define moderate atypia (an important differentiating diagnostic criterion for ESS, low grade and UE...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a well known angiogenic factor that has been suggested to play some physiological roles in reproductive organs. To clarify whether VEGF is involved in regulating bovine endometrial function locally, in experiment 1, we determined the expression of VEGF, VEGF receptor (VEGFR) 1 and VEGFR2 throughout the estrous cycle in endometrial tissues. Endometria...

background: recent attention has focused on the expression of integrin molecules within the endometrium, and their relation to infertility. objective: the present prospective study was undertaken to determine whether the endometrium of women with unexplained infertility differs in the expression of very late activation antigens (vla) from the endometrium of normal fertile women. methods: thirty...

OBJECTIVES In this study, we have established an in vitro three-dimensional (3D) coculture, where normal endometrial stromal cells and endometrial cancer cells were cocultured under defined hormonal conditions, to investigate the potential paracrine effects on synthesis and secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and, thus, cancer invasion. METHODS Endometrial stromal cells were obtaine...