What are endometrial cells?
The endometrium is the mucous surface that lines the inside of the uterus. It contains several layers of cells (i.e., endometrial cells) that vary in appearance and number throughout the menstrual cycle, as the levels of estrogen and progesterone fluctuate. During the luteal phase (the two-week period just before a woman bleeds), for example, the endometrium is thick, its cells are enlarged, the glands bulge, and the arteries are swollen. At menstruation, the endometrium sheds. Following menstruation, new cells grow and the endometrium regenerates. The cells that make up the endometrium normally grow only inside the uterus. Endometriosis is associated with a variety of symptoms, but there is no consistent pattern and not all women are symptomatic. The two most common symptoms are pain and infertility. Over time, depending on where the endometrial tissue has implanted, other symptoms may appear. The most common symptom is chronic pelvic pain that generally occurs just before and during
