a-mouse-model-endometriosis-using-ex-vivo-cy55-dye-doped-silica

A Mouse Model of Endometriosis Using <em>Ex Vivo</em> Cy5.5 Dye-Doped Silica Nanoparticle Labeling for Lesion Visualization

Endometriosis is a common gynecological disorder characterized by the growth of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity, leading to chronic ...

laparoscopic-induction-endometriosis-preclinical-swine-model

Laparoscopic Induction of Endometriosis in a Preclinical Swine Model by Autologous Endometrial Transplantation

Pigs are increasingly used as models of human diseases, largely because their anatomy, physiology, and genetics more closely resemble those of humans. ...

University of Missouri

Endometriosis is a benign gynecological condition in which endometrial-like tissue grows outside of the uterus, and the mechanisms of its pathogenesis are not fully understood. The anatomical and physiological parallels between pigs and humans have made pigs a good model for investigating other human diseases. Here, we report on the development of a swine model for endometriosis in which the peritoneal cavity was inoculated with autologous endometrial tissue fragments labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) dye-doped silica nanoparticles. After 6 weeks of endometriosis induction, FITC positive endometriotic lesions were observed on the peritoneal surface of the abdominal wall as well as on the serosal surfaces of the uterus and small intestine. Histological analysis of the endometriotic lesions revealed endometrial-like epithelial and stromal cells that were morphologically comparable to human endometriotic lesions. The identification of epithelial and stromal cells in these lesions was confirmed by immunostaining of e-cadherin, an endometrial epithelial marker, and Chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor II, an endometrial stromal marker. Our results illustrate successful induction of endometriosis with fluorescent-labeled endometriotic lesions to identify in situ endometriotic lesions. According to the size and physiological similarity of pigs to humans, this is an important first step toward the development of a non-invasive tool to diagnose endometriosis. Furthermore, the availability of a new large animal model for translational endometriosis research provides a novel preclinical animal model for laparoscopic monitoring and retrieval of experimental endometriotic lesions with ample serum for serial analyses.

The development of a preclinical swine model for endometriosis†.

Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women worldwide and is a leading cause of chronic pelvic pain. Despite its high prevalence and substantial socioeconomic burden, the mechanisms underlying endometriosis-associated pain remain incompletely understood, resulting in delayed diagnosis and limited therapeutic durability. Notably, pain severity frequently shows poor correlation with lesion burden, indicating that endometriosis-associated pain extends beyond the presence of endometriotic lesions alone. Accumulating evidence supports a model in which endometriosis-associated pain arises from the convergence of endocrine dysregulation, immune activation, aberrant neuroangiogenesis, and maladaptive neural plasticity, with estrogen dominance and progesterone resistance serving as central upstream drivers of pain biology. Estrogen-dependent inflammation and progesterone resistance establish a permissive microenvironment that promotes immune dysfunction, neurotrophic signaling, and nociceptor sensitization. These peripheral processes drive sustained afferent input to the central nervous system, leading to peripheral, central, and cross-organ sensitization that can perpetuate pain independently of lesion activity. In this review, we synthesize current evidence across the clinical spectrum of pain, mechanistic pathways, and therapeutic approaches in endometriosis. We integrate insights from inflammatory and immune pathways, neuroimmune crosstalk, hormonal regulation, and sensitization processes, emphasizing progesterone resistance and estrogen-mediated signaling as central modulators. Advances from preclinical models and emerging multi-omics technologies are highlighted to define pain signatures that transcend lesion-based classification. Finally, we discuss emerging therapeutic strategies targeting neuroimmune and endocrine pathways and propose a precision medicine framework that incorporates mechanistic biomarkers, translational models, and pain-specific clinical endpoints to improve stratification, reduce ineffective interventions, and achieve individualized pain relief for women with endometriosis.

ArticleTotal : 2	Year
Publication title	2026
Publication title	2026

Article	Year
The development of a preclinical swine model for endometriosis†. Biology of reproduction\| PubMed ID: 40445172	2025
Endometriosis-associated Pain: Mechanism, Neuroimmune Signature, and Translational Precision Strategies. Endocrine reviews\| PubMed ID: 42267663	2026

Harriet Omenge

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