IN-VITRO INTERACTIONS OF ENDOMETRIAL STROMAL AND EPITHELIAL-CELLS IN MATRIGEL - REORGANIZATION OF THE EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX

Fragments of human endometrial glands and dispersed endometrial stroma l cells were cultured together in a thick layer of reconstituted basem ent membrane (Matrigel(TM)). Epithelial cells kept their glandular mor phology whereas stromal cells grew into round clusters of mainly fusif orm cells. Transmission electron micrographs showed collagen fibers be tween stromal cells as well as in surrounding extracellular matrix aft er 2.5 weeks. A well-defined basement membrane was found when epitheli al and stromal cells were in close proximity to each other. Beneath th e lamina densa there was a loose network of collagen fibers or a dense fibrillar network arranged parallel to the cell layers. Epithelial ce lls showed hemidesmosomes at their basal surface where they were close to stromal cells.