The fine structure of the human endometrial glandular epithelium in cases of unexplained infertility: a morphometric study

In the present study attempts have been made to express in quantitativeterms the fine structure of the endometrial glandular epitheliumin well-timed biopsies from fertile women during the early lutealphase. Biopsies from women with unexplained infertility havealso been examined. Certain abnormalities of glandular maturationwere found in these women. The nuclear channel system was notpresent at day luteinizing hormone (LH) + 4 in the infertilegroup while at LH + 6 there were more cells containing thisfeature than seen in the fertile group. There also seem to beabnormalities associated with intracellular deposits of glycogen-richmaterial and mitochondrial elaboration in the infertile women.Changes in the secretory apparatus and rough endoplasmic reticulumwere observed. The evidence from the present study suggeststhat the endometria in the examined group of infertile womenis responsive to steroidal stimulation. This response however,may be delayed or inadequate.