Adhesion of human endometrium to the epithelial lining and extracellular matrix of amnion in vitro: an electron microscopic study

Patrick G. Groothuis, P G Groothuis, C A Koks, C.A.M. Koks, A F de Goeij, G A Dunselman, J W Arends, Jan Willem Arends, J L Evers, J.L.H. Evers
Human Reproduction · 1998 · vol. 13(8) , pp. 2275–2281 · doi:10.1093/humrep/13.8.2275 · PMID:9756310 · W2158496152
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Endometrial fragments adhered to amnion's extracellular matrix and basement membrane, with proliferative phase fragments showing more active growth, and adhesion to the epithelial side only occurred on damaged amnion.

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Abstract

One of the first steps in the pathogenesis of endometriosis is the attachment of the endometrium to the peritoneal lining. Since the peritoneum is extremely fragile and hard to obtain, amnion has been used as an in-vitro model to study adhesion. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy was applied to evaluate the adhesion of endometrial cells isolated in the proliferative and secretory phases of the menstrual cycle. Endometrial fragments obtained in either phase of the cycle were able to adhere to the extracellular matrix of the amnion. Fragments from proliferative phase endometrium showed active spreading and growth over the matrix surface, whereas fragments from secretory phase endometrium did not. Fragments from proliferative as well as secretory phase endometrium were able to adhere to the epithelial side of the amnion, but only at locations where the amniotic epithelium was damaged or partly absent. These observations indicate that the basement membrane and extracellular matrix provide a suitable substrate for endometrial cell attachment and growth and that endometrial cell adhesion occurs preferentially to subepithelial structures, whereas an intact epithelium prevents the adhesion of endometrial fragments to the amnion.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Amnion Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Models, Biological Amnion Cell Adhesion Endometriosis Endometrium Epithelium Epithelium Extracellular Matrix Extracellular Matrix Female Humans In Vitro Techniques Microscopy, Electron Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Pregnancy

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References (25)

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