Histochemical Studies of Human Endometrium with Special Emphasis on Secretory Activity and Ovulation

ABSTRACT

Eighty eight cases of the endometrial biopsy comprising 19 cases of proliferative phase, 21 cases of secretory phase, and 23 cases of menstrual phase from non-sterility patients, and 25 cases of the endometrium at the first day of menstruation from primary sterility patients were examined histochemically. Secretory substance in the epithelial cells of the endometrial glands during the secretory phase and menstrual phase was main1y glycogen. Therefore, it is essential to fix the endometrial tissue in a fixative which can preserve glycogen for the detection of secretory activity more accurately. Among 25 cases of primary sterility, 15 cases showed epithelial secretory vacuoles on hematoxylin and eosin stained sections, and no epithelial vacuolization was noted in the remaining 10 cases. However, PAS staining showed presence of PAS positive diastase sensitive substance in the majority of the later 10 cases except one in which no PAS positive substance was found, indicating that PAS staining is superior than routine hematoxylin and eosin staining for the detection of epithelial secretory substance. The absolute lack of secretory activity in the endometrial glands was infrequent, but a relative decrease of progesterone effect was rather common among the patients complaining primary sterility, and the decreased progesterone effect may not necessarily be due to the absence of ovulation.