TITLE:
Cyclic Changes of Nerve Fibers in Human Endometrium
AUTHORS:
Tatsuo Tomita, Kuni Mah
KEYWORDS:
Basalis, CD 56, Functionalis, Human Endometrium, Immunocytochemistry, Nerve, Neurofilament
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pathology,
Vol.4 No.2,
April
24,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Objective: The presence of
nerve fibers in human endometrium remains unsettled but recent immunocytochemical
studies have shown that there was increased innervation in the endometrium from
women with endometriosis and some nerve fibers in the normally cycling human
endometrium. In the current study, we used uterine tissue cryosections from
normal cycling women, which previously provided better immunocytochemical
staining for lymphatic vessels than in paraffin sections. Materials and
Methods: A total of 16 cases from normally cycling women were included
representing menstrual, early proliferative, early to late secretary phase.
Neurofilament and CD 56 were used as immunocytochemical markers for nerve
fibers with cryosections. Results: There were consistent presence of nerve
fibers in myometrium and basalis. Few small nerve fibers were identified in
early proliferative endometrium and more nerve fibers were present in
lower-half functionalis from mid-secretary phase. Late-secretary functionalis
showed less nerve fibers in the upper-half than the lower-half functionalis,
implying growing nerve fibers from lower functionalis to upper functionalis in
late-secretary phase. Conclusion: Nerve fibers appeared to cyclically grow from
basalis to lower functionalis and then from lower functionalis to upper functionalis
concomitantly with blood vessels in normally cycling human endometrium. These
cycling endometrial nerve fibers consisted mostly of nonmyelinated small nerve
fibers, which may transmit pelvic pain in the normally cycling women.