[Studies on the abnormal proliferation of the uterine endometrium, with reference to the cell surface electric charge density (author's transl)].

It has been observed that the surface charge of cells may increase during cell multiplication. Therefore, the studies were performed to investigate the cytopathogenesis of the endometrial abnormal proliferation by tracing cell microelectrophoretic changes. The studies consist of: 1. The comparison of surface charges on cells between proliferative and secretory phases of endometrium. 2. Changes of the surface charge in cases of the endometrial cells after curretage, and of cystic hyperplasia and/or differentiated adenocarcinoma of endometrium. 3. Those hormonal effects on cell surface charge as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol on cases above mentioned in vivo and in vitro. 4. Relationship between electric charge and sialic acid on cell surface. 5. Quantitative variation of sialic acid on cell surface when those hormonal agents were applied. The results were as follows: 1. The negative charge on endometrial cell surface increased according to the cell proliferation and decreased in differentiation. 2. Estrogen usually increased the surface charge while progesterone decreased it in both normal and abnormal states of the endometrium, in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. Testosterone showed effects similar to those of progesterone, while no cortisol affected the surface charge density of endometrial cells. 3. Sialic acid were even more in cases of higher surface charge on cells. 4. Estrogen increased sialic acid an progesterone decreased it. Testosterone showed similar effects to progesterone and cortisol did not affect the sialic acid quantity. 5. Anticarcinogenic agents generally decreased the electric charge of cell surface. As a result, it was known that the density of surface charge on endometrial cells determined by cell microelectrophoresis increased in cell proliferation and decreased in differentiation of endometrial cells. Those variation may depend upon some steroid hormones such as estrogen or progesterone.