Immunohistochemical analysis of collagen expression in human corpora lutea during the menstrual cycle and early pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the characteristic structure and function of human corpora lutea (CL), various types of collagen expression were determined in the CL tissues during the menstrual cycle and early pregnancy.


METHODS
In vitro experiment.


METHODS
Department of obstetrics and gynecology at a medical university.


METHODS
Regulatory cycling women and pregnant women with ovarian tumor and ectopic pregnancy who underwent adnexectomy.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry for human type I, III, and IV collagen with specific monoclonal antibodies was used for analysis.


METHODS
Expression of type I, III, and IV collagen.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemical staining for type I and III collagen revealed intense staining of the CL stroma during early pregnancy, as compared with those in the menstrual cycle. Moreover, pericellular intense immunostaining for type IV collagen was observed around the luteal cells, especially luteal granulosa cells, of early pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that alterations in distribution of collagen might play an important role in determining the physiology and structure of the CL during the menstrual cycle and early pregnancy.
Iwahashi
Masaaki
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan. masaaki@wakayama-med.ac.jp
Muragaki
Yasuteru
Y
Ooshima
Akira
A
Umesaki
Naohiko
N
D000328:Adult; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D003094:Collagen