| Uterine glands | |
|---|---|
 Vertical section of mucous membrane of human uterus. (Glands labeled at center right.) | |
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| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | glandulae uterinae |
| TA98 | A09.1.03.028 |
| TA2 | 3522 |
| FMA | 71647 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Uterine glands orendometrial glands aretubular glands, lined by a simple columnar epithelium, found in the functional layer of theendometrium that lines theuterus. Their appearance varies during themenstrual cycle. During the proliferative phase, uterine glands appear long due to estrogen secretion by the ovaries. During the secretory phase, the uterine glands become very coiled with wide lumens and produce a glycogen-rich secretion known ashistotroph oruterine milk.[1][2] This change corresponds with an increase in blood flow tospiral arteries due to increasedprogesterone secretion from thecorpus luteum. During the pre-menstrual phase, progesterone secretion decreases as the corpus luteum degenerates, which results in decreased blood flow to the spiral arteries. The functional layer of the uterus containing the glands becomes necrotic, and eventually sloughs off during the menstrual phase of the cycle.
They are of small size in the unimpregnated uterus, but shortly afterimpregnation become enlarged and elongated, presenting a contorted or waved appearance.
Hormones produced in earlypregnancy stimulate the uterine glands to secrete a number of substances to give nutrition and protection to the embryo and fetus, and thefetal membranes.[1] These secretions are known ashistiotroph, alternativelyhistotroph, and also asuterine milk.[1][2] Important uterine milk proteins areglycodelin-A andosteopontin.[1]
Some secretory components from the uterine glands are taken up by the secondary yolk sac lining the exocoelomic cavity during pregnancy, and may thereby assist in providing fetal nutrition.[3]
This article incorporates text in thepublic domain frompage 1262 of the 20th edition ofGray's Anatomy(1918)
