A simple method for isolation of glands from human endometrium has been developed. The procedure involves collagenase digestion of the endometrial tissue and filtration through sieves of various pore sizes. Isolated glands retained on the sieves were washed and collected in culture dishes. Tubular organization of the isolated glands was ascertained by examination of the preparations under inverted microscope and light microscopy of stained sections. The appearance of the glands was found to reflect different functional states of the endometrium and, possibly, to reveal abnormalities. Growth of monolayers of epithelial cells derived from the glands was observed within 24 h of culturing. Electron microscopy of the cells in 7-day monolayer preparations from both proliferative and secretory endometrium revealed the characteristic features of human endometrial epithelial cells, viz. presence of microvilli and desmosome-like junctions. Nuclear bodies were observed in cells derived from both types of endometrium.

A B S T R A C T Glucose intolerance has been observed following diphenylhydantoin (DPH) intoxication. Be-cause of this association between DPH and hyperglycemia, the effect of DPH on insulin release in vitro using preparations of isolated islets of Langerhans and pancreatic pieces was examined. In concentrations identical with those considered necessary for adequate anticonvulsant therapy in man, DPH markedly decreases the insulin secretory response of pancreatic pieces to methacholine, 1 ig/ml, tolbutamide, 250 I-g/ml, and glucose, 200 mg/100 ml, without any demonstrable alteration in the oxidative conversion of glucose-1-"C or glucose-6-14C to 14CO2 by isolated islets. This DPH-induced inhibition of insulin secretion is not reversed by higher concentrations of glucose (600 mg/100 ml) or by increasing concentrations of extracellular calcium ion (4-6 mmoles/ liter). 0.1 mm potassium and 10' M ouabain, however, effectively restore the DPH-induced block of insulin secretion in pancreatic pieces. 60 mm potassium ion, on the other hand, not only restores the insulin secretory response to glucose (200 mg/100 ml) but results in an added stimulation of insulin secretion in the presence of DPH. In the presence of DPH, 2'Na accumulation by isolated islets is decreased by 26-40% as compared with controls. Such evidence is considered to indirectly support the postulate that the electrophysiological properties of DPH on the pancreas are due to a stimulation of the membrane sodium-potassium-magnesium ATPase. INTRODUCTIONIn 1965 an association between hyperglycemia and diphenylhydantoin (DPH) was described in rabbits (1). This observation was soon followed by the clinical recognition of hyperglycemia and nonketotic hyperosmolar

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The estrogenic effects on this immature rat uterus of estetrol 11,3 ,5( 10)-estratriene-3

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