人正常子宫内膜腺上皮紧密连接的研究

TIGHT JUNCTIONS IN THE GLANDULAR EPITHELIUM OF NORMAL HUMAN ENDOMETRIUM

Freeze-fracture technique was used to study the tight junctions in the glandular epithelium of normal human endometrium at different phases of the menstrual cycle. The tight junctions were consisted of a few strands and extended less deeply along the lateral plasma membrane during the early proliferative phase of the cycle.The number of strands, but not the depth of the tight junctions, significantly increased (P<0.05) during the mid-proliferative phase as compared to the previous phase. The increase in the number of strands and tight junctional depth was insignificant (P>0.05) during the late proliferative phase and early secretory phase as compared to the mid-proliferative phase. During the midsecretory phase, the number of strands as well as tight junctional depth significantly increased(P<0.05). In the late secretory phase, both the number of strands and tight junctional depth significantly reduced again (P<0.01). These findings demonstrate that the structure of the tight junctions in the glandular epithelium of normal human endometrium undergo changes during the menstrual cycle, and suggest that the increase in the number of tight junctional strands and depth, especially during the mid-secretory phase, may be induced by progesterone.