title: Study of ultrastructure and apoptosis in the endometrium of women with or without endometriosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  More than 40% of infertilities are due to endometriosis. Ultrustructural and histochemical study of endometrium will help to clarify the etiology of endometriosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to investigate the ultrastructure and occurrence of apoptosis in endometrial cells of women with or without endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present case-control study, endometrial specimens from 12 women without endometriosis (as control) and 12 women with endometriosis (as case) were examined. Specimens for control group were obtained from the patients that were referred to gynecology hospital for hysterectomy due to various reasons. In case group the endometriosis was diagnosed according to laparoscopy and endometrial samples were taken using pippel biopsy. The specimens from both case and control groups were processed for Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), TUNEL reaction technique and morphometric studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that endometrial epithelium lost its continuity in women with endometriosis and endometrial cells have euchromatic nucleus in comparison to those from non-endometriosis. There were several apoptotic cells in the luminal and glandular endometrial epithelium and stroma from endometrium of control group. However, apoptotic cells were rarely seen in the endometrium from women with endometriosis. The difference in number of apoptotic cells between two groups statically was significant (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regarding the ultrastructural characteristics of endometrial epithelial cells and comparison of apoptotic occurrence in control and case groups it is concluded that endometrial cells in endometriosis group have higher potential to survive and possibly implant.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center and Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roshangar
authors.affiliation: Alzahra Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Seddighe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdollahifard
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Majdi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarrintan
authors.affiliation: Alzahra Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Alia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghasemzade
authors.affiliation: Alzahra Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Laaia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Farzadi
authors.affiliation: Alzahra Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soleimani Rad
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Jafar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Soleimani Rad
keywords: Apoptosis; Endometriosis; Endometrium; Stroma; Ultrastructure