Dating the endometrial biopsy by flow cytometry.
OBJECTIVE
To determine endometrial changes throughout the menstrual cycle.


METHODS
Flow cytometric analysis of endometrial cells versus chronological dating.


METHODS
Women volunteers with a normal menstrual cycle participated in this study that was done in an academic research environment.


METHODS
Two hundred thirty regular menstruating women with adequate luteal phase underwent endometrial biopsy at different days of their menstrual cycle; 138 biopsies were analyzed both histologically and by flow cytometry.


METHODS
Percentage of biopsies correctly classified in terms of chronological dating.


RESULTS
Flow cytometry correctly classified the chronological day of biopsies in 59% of cases, the proliferative versus secretory days in 91% of cases, and the early, mid, and late secretory phases of the menstrual cycle were correctly predicted in 86% of cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Flow cytometry is a good method to determine growth and differentiation of the endometrium during the menstrual cycle. Detection of phases of the whole endometrial cell population offer information on the biological adequacy of endometrial response to the biochemical environment.
Bulletti
C
C
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Italy.
Galassi
A
A
Parmeggiani
R
R
Polli
V
V
Alfieri
S
S
Labate
A M
AM
Flamigni
C
C
D001706:Biopsy; D002455:Cell Division; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D012016:Reference Values
D007986:Luteinizing Hormone