Table 1.

Overview of mouse models of endometriosis^28–32

Method of induction	Transplant type	Tissue type	Donor status	Recipient status	Limitations	Benefits
Surgical (laparotomy with/without OVX)	Autologous Syngeneic	• Unspecified • Naive endometrium • Uterine horn full thickness • Endometrium + myometrium	• Intact • Intact + hormones • OVX • OVX + hormones	• Intact • OVX • OVX + hormones	•Suture material or surgical glue can add variability to lesions •Bypasses natural attachment •Implantation of nonendometrial layers questionable translationally •Invasive procedure, surgical implantation may affect studies involving pain •Hormonal state of recipient varies or artificially induced at time of implantation	•Number of implants known, can correlate with lesions found at harvest •Location of implants is known, can follow more accurately with in vivo imaging •Immunocompetent recipients allow for evaluation of immune response
	Heterologous	• Naive endometrium• Menstrual endometrium	• Human	• Immunodeficient, Intact • Immunodeficient/OVX + hormones	•Immunodeficient recipient confounds immune response	•Use of human tissue for implantation
Injection	Syngeneic	• Unspecified • Naive endometrium • Uterine horn full thickness • Endometrium + myometrium • Menstrual endometrium	• Intact • Intact + hormones • OVX • OVX + hormones • Induced menstruation/OVX + hormones	• Intact • OVX • OVX + hormones	•Varying number of lesions •Varying locations •Implantation of nonendometrial layers questionable translationally •Hormonal state of recipient varies or artificially induced at time of implantation	•Less invasive •Could inject iteratively •Mimics retrograde menstruation •Can study natural attachment and early stages of implantation •May be better induction method to study pain •Use of menstrual endometrium more translational •Immunocompetent recipients allow for evaluation of immune response
Laparoscopy	Syngeneic	• Uterine horn full thickness • Menstrual endometrium	• Intact • Induced menstruation/OVX + hormones	• Intact • Intact	•Equipment cost and technical expertise •May affect studies involving pain •Implantation of nonendometrial layers questionable translationally •Use of OVX + hormones to induce menstruation may affect physiology and outcomes •Hormonal state of recipient varies or artificially induced at time of implantation	•Number of implants known, can correlate with lesions found at harvest •Less invasive than surgical •Can study natural attachment and initial stages of implantation •Intact recipients allow studies in fertility •Use of menstrual endometrium translational
Laparoscopya	Syngeneic	• Menstrual endometrium	• Pseudo-pregnant induced menstruation	• Pseudo-pregnant induced menstruation	•Equipment cost and technical expertise •May affect studies involving pain •Logistically challenging to time match recipient and donor in menstrual phase	•Number of implants known, can correlate with lesions found at harvest •Less invasive than surgical •Can study natural attachment and initial stages of implantation •Use of menstrual endometrium translational •Use pseudopregnancy to induce menstruation mimics hormonal milieu of women •Menstruating recipients mimic peritoneal microenvironment and hormonal milieu of women at time of implantation •Menstruating recipients return to normal estrus cyclicity, allowing studies in fertility

OVX, ovariectomized.

^a The novel model of induction of endometriosis in a menstruating mouse model described in this study.