title: Embryologic origin of endometriosis: analysis of 101 human female fetuses.
abstract: The etiology of endometriosis, a gynecological disease characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity, is still unknown. Our research group has recently demonstrated the presence of ectopic endometrium in human female fetuses at different gestational ages. In this manuscript we describe four new cases of fetal endometriosis found among a series of 52 female fetuses analyzed at autopsy. The anatomical localization of this ectopic endometrium, and its histological and immunohistochemical characteristics are depicted. We suggest that endometriosis is caused by dislocation of primitive endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity during organogenesis. The clinical and pathological implications of these findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione Italiana Endometriosi, Rome, Italy. research@endometriosi.it
authors.forename: Pietro G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Signorile
authors.forename: Feliciano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baldi
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bussani
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Viceconte
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bulzomi
authors.forename: Mariarosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Armiento
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Avino
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baldi
mesh_terms: D004715:Endometriosis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000196:embryology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D015260:Neprilysin