Immunohistochemical staining of von willebrand factor in human endometrium during normal menstrual cycle

Abstract

Endometrial biopsies were obtained from 73 normal women throughout the menstrual cycle. Using a polyclonal antibody and a streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase method, formalinfixed paraffin sections of the tissue were stained for von Willebrand factor (vWF). Both subjective scoring and objective quantitative colour image analysis were used to assess the staining intensity, and the results obtained by the two methods were in concordance with each other. Positive staining was observed at all stages of the menstrual cycle. Specific staining was confined to the vascular endothelium and showed cyclical changes. The staining intensity was the weakest during the menstrual phase and was significantly (P <..