Ultrastructure and relations between cells in the myometrium and in myomas of the human uterus

: The state of myocytes and their intercellular connections in an unaltered myometrium in the peripheral zone and in the central part of the myoma node has been studied electron microscopically. When analysing the peripheral zone of the uterine myoma, myocytes have resemblence with myometrial cells in the folliculine phase of the menstrual cycle. Simultaneously, certain changes are observed both in the intracellular components and in intercellular interrelations: myocytic nuclei swell, most part of chromatin is decondenced, cell cytoplasmic volume increases, in the prenuclear zone numerous agregates of ribosomes are revealed. The myocytes draw nearer and form specialized junctions, that ensure their cooperation.