Fig. 8

Immuno-localization of OCT-4 in uterine myometrium (M) and perimetrium (P) after treatment with progesterone. OCT-4 expression was clearly observed in the perimetrium as well as myometrium. OCT-4 antibody used in the study detects both cells expressing nuclear OCT-4 (a) as well as cytoplasmic OCT-4 (b). It is intriguing to note that cells in the perimetrium expressed nuclear OCT-4 (b) whereas in the myometrium (c–d) OCT-4 expression was predominantly cytoplasmic. These observations suggest that the pluripotent stem cells in the perimetrium possibly differentiate into the cells of myometrium. Please note the cells migrating from the perimetrium to the myometrium (arrow). Few blood vessels were also observed (asterix). Scale bar represents 20 μm