REAPPRAISAL OF THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE HUMAN ENDOMETRIAL GLANDULAR CELL

Abstract

Summary A survey of the ultrastructure of histologically normal endometrial biopsies from 30 women at various stages of the menstrual cycle was made. The nucleus and nucleolus showed morphological variations in the different phases of the cycle which could be correlated with the changing metabolic needs of the cytoplasm. During the ovulatory phase, glycogen, giant mitochondria and nucleolar basket formation were observed and the functional morphology of the latter two organelles is discussed. The secretory phase was characterized by the apocrine and merocrine secretion of glycogen and glycoprotein, as well as by age changes and ultimate cellular breakdown.