Smooth muscle alpha actin and myosin heavy chain expression in the vascular smooth muscle cells surrounding human endometrial arterioles

Abstract

Endometrial spiral arterioles are believed to play a major role in controlling menstruation. These arterioles coil and grow through the secretory stages of the cycle, unlike the 'straight' endometrial arterioles that remain uncoiled. We postulate that alterations in the growth and development of spiral arterioles, in particular the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), may contribute to menorrhagia. We examined smooth muscle alpha actin (αSMA) and myosin heavy chains (MHC), two VSMC differentiation markers, in the endometrial arterioles of 64 women, comparing them in controls, menorrhagic tissues and across the menstrual cycle. αSMA and MHC expression were determined immunohistochemically the..