[Effect of progestins on the ultrastructure of endometrial cells in pretumorous changes and cancer (an organ-culture study)]. / Vliianie progestinov na ul'trastrukturu kletok éndometriia pri ego predopukholevykh izmeneniiakh i rake (issledovanie organnoi kul'tury).

Morphological and ultrastructural changes of cells in atypical hyperplasia and focal adenomatosis of the endometrium considered to be precancer processes as well as of endometrial adenocarcinoma before and after treatment (in organ culture) with progesterone and norethysterone were studied. In atypical hyperplasia and focal adenomatosis (after 3-day incubation with hormone), early signs of secretory transformation of the glandular epithelium were observed including subnuclear vacuoles containing glycogen, reduction of microvilli, giant mitochondria, crimping of the cellular membrane, complication of the endoplasmic reticulum. In cancer tissue cultures the hormonal effect is manifested at the ultrastructural level only: signs of morphological differentiation of tumor cells were observed. In these pathological conditions, endometrial organ cultures may be used for the determination of hormone sensitivity of the tumor.