[17-beta estradiol receptors in the normal and pathological human uterus].

A vast literature reports on the ability of some tumor tissues to preserve the receptorial system of the original cells which can be an indication of hormonal dependence of tumors. The authors tried to determine in quantitative term the receptorial capacity of beta Estradiol 17 of the normal and of the pathological endometrium. 23 postmenopausal patients were investigated 10 with adenocarcinoma of the uterus 6 with uterine fibroleiomioma 4 with genital prolapse and 3 with recurrent metrorrhagia. The maximal receptorial concentration was found in the 10 patients with adenocarcinoma with concentrations going from 39.8 to 86.3 femtomoli/mg proteins. The normal value of a normal endometrium would be from 22 to 60.2 femtomoli/mg proteins. Some hypotheses are advanced about the receptorial capacity of the pathological tissues studied. (Summary in ENG)