An uncommon etiology for a common problem: hirsutism.

Hirsutism is a common problem affecting women that is usually the result of a benign etiology. However, sudden onset or rapidly progressive hirsutism, especially when accompanied by virilizing signs, is suspicious for androgen-producing neoplasms of the ovaries or adrenals. A 28-year-old female presented with the rapid onset of hirsutism and virilizing signs, accompanied by a markedly elevated serum testosterone.

Reciprocal communication between endometrial stromal cells and macrophages.

This study tested the hypothesis that reciprocal communication occurs between macrophages and cultured human endometrial stromal cells and that this communication may contribute to the pathology of endometriosis. An endometrial stromal cell line (telomerase-immortalized human endometrial stromal cell [T-HESC]) was treated with macrophage-conditioned medium (CM) +/- estradiol + progesterone. Macrophages were treated without or with T-HESC CM.

Two-way communication between endometrial stromal cells and monocytes.

Immune system cells and cells of the endometrium have long been proposed to interact in both physiological and pathological processes. The current study was undertaken to examine communication between cultured monocytes and endometrial stromal cells and also to assess responses of endometrial stromal cells for treatment with estradiol (E) in the absence and presence of medroxyprogesterone acetate (P). A telomerase-immortalized human endometrial stromal cell (T-HESC) line and the U937 monocyte cell line were used.