title: Different types of small nerve fibers in eutopic endometrium and myometrium in women with endometriosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate types of nerve fibers in endometrium and myometrium in women with endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory study using human tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with and without endometriosis undergoing hysterectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Histologic sections of contiguous endometrial and myometrial tissues were prepared from hysterectomies performed on women with and without endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Types and density of nerve fibers in endometrium and myometrium in women with and without endometriosis were determined using a series of specific markers for neuronal structure and function: PGP9.5, NF, SP, CGRP, TH, VAChT, VIP, and NPY.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nerve fibers stained with PGP9.5 and NF in endometrium and myometrium were significantly increased in women with endometriosis compared with women without endometriosis. Nerve fibers in the functional layer of endometrium in women with endometriosis were likely to be sensory C, a mixture of sensory A delta, sensory C, and adrenergic fibers in the basal layer of the endometrium, a mixture of sensory A delta, sensory C, adrenergic and cholinergic fibers in the myometrium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased nerve fiber density in endometrium and myometrium, and sensory C fibers and adrenergic nerve fibers in the endometrium in women with endometriosis may play an important role in the mechanisms of pain generation in this condition.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Elizabeth II Research Institute for Mothers and Infants, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. ntokushige@med.usyd.edu.au
authors: Natsuko
authors: N
authors: Tokushige
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Markham
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Russell
authors: Ian S
authors: IS
authors: Fraser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000473:pathology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000294:innervation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009215:Myometrium / Q000294:innervation*; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism*