MORPHOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL-ASPECTS OF THE ENDOMETRIUM OF ASYMPTOMATIC POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN - DOES THE ENDOMETRIUM REALLY AGE

The morphological and functional aspects of the endometrium mere inves tigated in 28 asymptomatic post-menopausal women to evaluate the agein g phenomenon of this tissue, Haematoxylin-eosin staining showed an atr ophic endometrium in 12 cases and a hyperplastic endometrium in the ot her 16 cases, Mosson's trichrome identified moderate fibrosis in all p ost-menopausal endometrial stroma, Immunohistochemical analyses were p erformed on the endometrial specimens to evaluate the distribution of the capillary system, the cellular proliferation index and the presenc e of oestrogen and progesterone receptors, Our data showed a discrepan cy between the morphological pictures and the functional aspects of th e post-menopausal endometrium, In fact, the morphological pictures sug gested an involution of this tissue according to the increase in colla gen fibres, the decrease in vascular distribution and the frequent atr ophic patterns, On the other hand, data from steroid receptors and the cell proliferation index suggest that post-menopausal endometrium is an active structure, So, endometria from normal post-menopausal women appear to he in a more quiescent stare than in a really atrophic condi tion, This leads to the question: does the endometrium really age?