Figure 5.

Immunoperoxidase for lumican. (A) Ovx group: A weak immunoreaction is observed in the endometrial stroma, especially under the luminal epithelium (arrow) and in the deep stroma, as well as in the EML and connective tissue between muscle layers of the myometrium; (B) E2-group: the reaction is present in the whole endometrial stroma and in both layers of the myometrium; (C) MPA-group: the reaction is present in the whole stroma, however it is weak in the subepithelial stroma (asterisk). In the myometrium, deposition of lumican is observed in the EML and connective tissue between layers; (D) E2+MPA-group: the immunoreaction is strong in the whole endometrial stroma. In the myometrium, a weak staining is observed in both IML and EML, being strong in the connective tissue between them. L = uterine lumen; G = endometrial gland; SS = superficial stroma; DS = deep stroma; V = blood vessel; IML = internal muscle layer; EML = external muscle layer. Scale bar: 50 μm.