Establishment and Pathological Observation of a Rat Model of Endometriosis

Objective To establish an animal model of endometriosis,provide an ideal animal model for clarifying endometriosis pathogenesis and explore effective treatment methods.Methods In order to establish a rat model of endometriosis,autotransplantation of uterine tissue into the para-uterine ligament was performed by surgery in 30 adult female Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats.After eight weeks,the survival rate,development of ectopic foci,the extent of adhesion with surrounding tissues were observed by laparotomy and samples of the heterotopic tissues were taken for pathological examination.Results Twenty-five rats showed conspicuous ectopic foci,and all foci showed adhesion to surrounding tissues to a different extent and presence of cystic alterations.However,the amount of endothelial cells,interstitial cells and glands was less than those in the eutopic endometrium.A few foci were composed of epithelial tissue or stromal tissue alone.Conclusion It is a successful method to establish a rat model of endometriosis by autotransplantion of uterine tissue and provides a convenient model for studying the pathogenesis of the disease and the selection of new drugs.