Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Performing Vaginal Lavage, Crystal Violet Staining, and Vaginal Cytological Evaluation for Mouse Estrous Cycle Staging Identification
Published on: September 15, 2012
Quantitative analysis of endometrial stromal cells including behavioral changes related to the menstrual cycle in
Y Minagawa1, J Kigawa, H Ishihara
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University School of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.
Insights
This study quantifies endometrial stromal cell nuclear changes during the menstrual cycle using immunocytochemistry. Vimentin staining helps identify stromal cells, revealing distinct nuclear morphology differences compared to glandular cells.
Area of Science:
- Gynecologic Pathology
- Cell Biology
- Histology
Background:
- Endometrial stromal cells play a crucial role in the uterine lining.
- Understanding their cytological characteristics is vital for diagnosing endometrial conditions.
- Menstrual cycle-related changes in endometrial cells require detailed characterization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively analyze nuclear morphology of normal endometrial stromal cells.
- To investigate cytological changes in stromal cells throughout the menstrual cycle.
- To establish vimentin as a reliable marker for identifying endometrial stromal cells in smears.
Main Methods:
- Immunocytochemical examination of 25 normal endometrial cytological specimens.
- Use of monoclonal antibodies against vimentin and keratin via the streptavidin-biotin method.
- Quantitative nuclear measurements (shape, size, distribution) of stromal and glandular cells.
Main Results:
- Vimentin staining effectively differentiated endometrial stromal cells from glandular cells.
- Stromal cell nuclei were more elongated and dispersed than glandular cell nuclei in the proliferative phase.
- Stromal cell nuclei became rounder and larger than glandular cell nuclei in the secretory phase.
Conclusions:
- Vimentin immunocytochemistry is a valuable tool for identifying endometrial stromal cells in cytological smears.
- Endometrial stromal cells exhibit distinct, quantifiable nuclear morphological changes during the menstrual cycle.
- These findings contribute to a better understanding of normal endometrial histology and cytology.
Abstract:
We aimed to obtain quantitative data regarding certain characteristics of stromal cells in smear specimens of normal endometrium, including the cytological changes associated with progression through the menstrual cycle. Eleven histological and 25 cytological specimens of normal endometrium were examined immunochemically using monoclonal antibodies to vimentin and keratin by streptavidin-biotin method. As a result, we decided to use the antibody to vimentin for the differential staining of endometrial smears: cells showing positive staining to vimentin were considered stromal cells. The quantitative nuclear measurements in the smear specimens revealed that the nuclei of endometrial stromal cells were more elongated and had a more dispersed distribution than the glandular cells in the proliferative phase. Although a part of the nuclei of stromal cells became rounder in shape in the secretory phase, they were larger in size than those of glandular cells.
