Ultrastructure of the microvasculature in human endometrial hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to determine the effect of hyperplasia on cell-to-cell communication in the microvasculature of the human endometrium.

STUDY DESIGN

Ten biopsy specimens of simple and complex hyperplasia of the human endometrium were investigated by electron microscopy.

RESULTS

The microvasculature of the hyperplastic endometrium shows morphologic disorder. The extracellular matrix is altered, and cell death is widespread. Intercellular contact is infrequent or absent.

CONCLUSIONS

These results are in marked contrast to the ultrastructure of the normal microvasculature. The complex cell-to-cell interaction observed in normal tissue appears lost. This report, combined with others, indicates that cell-to-cell contact is sparse in hyperplastic endometrium.