Article: PDF OnlyPlasminogen activators in the human endometrium, cellular origin and hormonal regulationCasslén, B.; Urano, S.; Lecander, I.; Ny, T.Author Information B. Casslén and I. Lecander are with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital, S-22185 Lund, Sweden. S. Urano and T. Nyare with the Department of Applied Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Umeå. Blood Coagulation & Fibrinolysis: April 1992 - Volume 3 - Issue 2 - p 133-138 Buy Abstract Endometrial tissue explants in culture were found to release urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-P A). In order to identify their cellular origin and possible hormonal regulation, enriched cultures of glandular epithelial cells and stromal cells were prepared from fresh endometrium, and the cultures treated with hormones. Both epithelial and stromal cell cultures were found to secrete u-PA and t-PA. Treatment of epithelial cell cultures with (Estradiol, progesterone and DH-testosterone had no effect on the secretion of t-PA or u-PA. In stromal cell cultures, on the other hand, the secretion of u-PA was significantly reduced after treatment with progesterone, whereas (Estradiol and DH-testosterone had no effect. This reduction of u-PA antigen in the tissue culture medium did not result from a reduction of the relative level of u-PA mRNA in the cells, suggesting that the synthesis of u-PA was not reduced. Alternatively, an increased clearance of u-PA by the cells from the medium may explain the reduction. This in vitro observation probably reflects the in vivo reduction of u-PA in endometrial secretion during the secretory phase. © Lippincott-Raven Publishers.
