Is endometriosis an endometrial disease?

Vinatier D, D. Vinatier, Michel Cosson, M Cosson, Cosson M, P. Dufour, Dufour P
European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology · 2000 · vol. 91(2) , pp. 113–125 · doi:10.1016/s0301-2115(99)00263-8 · PMID:10869783 · W2038377066
editorial OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 86 in-corpus citations
View on OpenAlex View on PubMed View at publisher
⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

This paper explores whether endometriosis should be classified as an endometrial disease based on current understanding.

One-sentence paraphrase of the abstract; not a substitute for reading it. No clinical advice. How this works

Abstract

Endometriosis is characterised by the presence of abnormally located tissue resembling the endometrium with glands and stroma. Several hypotheses have attempted to explain the development of such tissue. The most often cited theory, that of implantation, proposes that the physiological phenomenon of endometrial reflux in the fallopian tubes during menstruation may, in certain conditions, overcome local defense mechanisms, implant, and proliferate. The implantation theory does not explain why endometriosis will develop only in approximately 10-15% of women, while the reflux of endometrial tissue via the fallopian tubes during menstruation is a quasi-universal phenomenon. The endometrium of women affected by endometriosis could be abnormal compared with endometrium of healthy women. The abnormal endometrium could be able to protect itself from harmful effects of immune cells by expressing specific antigens, by harbouring a different immune cell population and by synthetizing and secreting immunosuppressive factors. Several others characteristic features of endometrium have been described in women with endometriosis: (1) production of its own estrogens in too heavy amount; (2) aptitude for setting up on peritoneum; (3) tendencies to proliferate and to invade tissue; (4) aggressiveness for the peritoneum; (5) auto-protection from physiological apoptosis; (6) abnormal expression of heat shock proteins; and (7) excessive angiogenesis.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Endometrium Endometrium Antigens Antigens Apoptosis Cell Division Estrogens Estrogens Female Humans Leukocytes Leukocytes Neovascularization, Pathologic Peritoneum Peritoneum

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.

References (100)

Cited by (50)

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-08-06T06:07:45.168820+00:00
openalex
last seen: 2026-06-10T17:14:06.276822+00:00
pubmed
last seen: 2026-05-13T22:13:36.046895+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK