Menstruation Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Menstruation, including details on menstrual cycle, pregnancy, pain, irregular menstruation.

Differential expression of L-selectin ligand in the endometrium during the menstrual cycle.

Lai TH, Shih IeM, Vlahos N, Ho CL, Wallach E, Zhao Y

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expression of L-selectin ligand in the endometrium during the menstrual cycle. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University teaching hospital. PATIENT(S): Endometrial samples from regularly cycling women. INTERVENTION(S): Tissue microarray and immunohistochemical staining were performed using L-selectin ligand monoclonal antibody (MECA-79). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Expression of L-selectin ligand in the various phases of menstrual cycle was measured by a semiquantitative analysis (HSCORE) for the intensity of immunohistochemical reactivity. RESULT(S): In the luminal epithelium, there were significant differences in L-selectin ligand expression during the proliferative, interval, early secretory, and midsecretory phases. The expression of L-selectin ligand was greatest from the periovulatory interval through midsecretory phase. In the glandular epithelium, the expression of L-selectin ligand was greatest in midsecretory phase with significant differences between proliferative phase and the midsecretory phase and between the interval phase and the midsecretory phase. CONCLUSION(S): Increased expression of L-selectin ligand in the human endometrium during the early and midsecretory phases of the menstrual cycle may be related to the process of implantation.

Published 15 April 2005 in Fertil Steril, 83: 1297-302.
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