Altered maturation and function of peritoneal macrophages: Possible role in pathogenesis of endometriosis

J Halme, Halme J, Jouko Halme, Susanne Becker, S Becker, Becker S, S Haskill, Haskill S, Stephen Haskill
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology · 1987 · vol. 156(4) , pp. 783–789 · doi:10.1016/0002-9378(87)90333-4 · PMID:3578392 · W2036646106
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 230 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-10 ⓘ

This study investigates how changes in peritoneal macrophages' maturation and function may contribute to the development of endometriosis.

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Abstract

Human peritoneal macrophages from healthy women and patients with endometriosis were analyzed with flow cytometry for size distribution, cell membrane antigen expression, and membrane function. Endometriosis was associated with a significantly increased number of peritoneal macrophages and a higher proportion of large macrophages with increased expression of three antigen markers. Peritoneal macrophages from normal patients exhibited diminished cell membrane capping function as compared with that of endometriosis-related macrophages or blood monocytes. On the basis of these findings, a hypothesis is formulated suggesting that endometriosis is associated with an increased influx of macrophages that are allowed to undergo further maturation-activation. The resultant population of large macrophages may contribute to the maintenance of the disease or associated infertility.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Ascitic Fluid Endometriosis Macrophage Activation Macrophages Ascitic Fluid Cell Count Cell Separation Chronic Disease Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Flow Cytometry Humans Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Macrophages Macrophages Phagocytosis

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

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