Isolation, purification and culture in vitro of glandular epithelial cell and stromal cells of human endometrium

Objective:To establish a method of isolation, purification and culturing of human glandular epithelial and stromal cells of normal, eutopic, and ectopic endometrium in vitro. Methods:Enzymolysis, filtration, and pasted wall purification were used to isolate and purify the glandular epithelial and stromal cells in 15 normal endometrium, 15 eutopic endometrium and 10 ectopic endometrium. Two types of cells were observed by light microscopy and verified by immunocytochemical staining with vimentin and cytokeratin. Results:Endometrial cell culture was successfully established in all normal endometrium and eutopic endometrium of enmetriosis, but in 5 of 10 ectopic endometrium of endometriosi. The purities of stromal cells and glandular epithelial cells were 95% and 92% respectively, glandular epithelial cell and stromal cells all can passage for several generations. Conclusion:Highly purified epithelial and stromal cells can be obtained through enzymolysis, filtration, and pasted wall purification. The cellular model will be useful to investigate the pathogenesis of endometriosis.