Side population in human uterine myometrium displays phenotypic and functional characteristics of myometrial stem cells.

ABSTRACT: Over the course of pregnancy, the human uterus undergoes a 500- to 1,000-fold increase in volume and a 24-fold increase in weight. The uterine smooth muscle layer or myometrium is remodeled, and both cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia are evident. The origin of the new smooth muscle cells, however, is unclear. They may arise from existing smooth muscle cells, or they may be the product of stem cell differentiation. This study describes a subset of myometrial cells isolated from nonpregnant human myometrium that represents the myometrial stem cell population. This was characterized as side population of myometrial cells (myoSP) by a distinct Hoechst dye efflux pattern. In contrast to the main population of myometrial cells (myoMP), myoSP resided in quiescence, underexpressed or lacked myometr

SUBMITTER: Ono M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2141840 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature