A HUMAN ENDOMETRIAL EXPLANT SYSTEM - VALIDATION AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to describe an in vitro explant system to study the regulation of prostaglandin production by human endometrium. STUDY DESIGN: Segments of late-luteal-phase endometrium were obtained aseptically at the time of endometrial sampling. The endometrium was cut into 1 mm3 pieces and applied to the polycarbonate membrane of tissue-culture-well inserts for 12-well plates (Costar Transwell cell culture chamber inserts, 0.4 mum pore size). After placing the well inserts, culture medium was carefully applied. The explants were incubated at 37-degrees-C in 5% carbon dioxide in air, and the culture medium was changed daily. RESULTS: Electron microscopic examination and lactate dehydrogenase determinations of the explants revealed cellular viability for less-than-or-equal-to 5 days of culture. Endometrial explants responded to treatment with interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor by a concentration-dependent increase in the production of prostaglandin E2. Costimulation of late luteal endometrial explants with interleukin-1 beta (1 0 ng/ml) and progesterone (10(-6) mol/L) resulted in variable production of prostaglandin E2, suggesting that the histologic examination of the endometrium does not necessarily reflect the functional properties of the endometrium. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that when used with human endometrial tissue this explant system maintains tissue viability and responsiveness for less-than-or-equal-to 5 days. This approach to explant methods is simple and provides a flexible model to study the regulation of the production of bioactive substances by human endometrial tissue.