Expression levels of SRC-2 in the murine endometrium are not significantly altered during the estrous cycle.

<p>(A) Left panels show immunostaining of SRC-2 in the murine endometrium during the estrus (top panel) and diestrus (bottom panel) phase of the estrous cycle; S, GE, and LE denote stroma, glandular epithelium, and luminal epithelium respectively. Note the slightly edematous stromal compartment and columnar luminal epithelial cells typical of an endometrium during the estrus stage of the murine cycle <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0098664#pone.0098664-Wood1" target="_blank">[67]</a>. Conversely, luminal epithelial cells are more cuboidal and the sub-epthelial stroma is more condensed in the endometrium at diestrus. Middle panels show the corresponding vaginal cytology (cornified squamous epithelial (CE) cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (L)) which confirm the stage of the cycle <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0098664#pone.0098664-Mclean1" target="_blank">[47]</a>, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0098664#pone.0098664-Fata1" target="_blank">[52]</a>. Right panels show corresponding mammary gland whole mounts; SB indicates side-branches. Note: a transient increase in the number of ductal side branches in the mammary gland is known to occur during the diestrus phase of the mouse estrous cycle <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0098664#pone.0098664-Cole1" target="_blank">[51]</a>. Scale bar in top panels apply to corresponding bottom panels. (B) Comparative SRC-2 transcript levels in the murine endometrium at each of the four stages of the estrous cycle; n.s. denotes non-specific. (C) Immunostaining of SRC-2 in the human endometrium biopsied during the proliferative (left panel) and secretory (right panel) stages of the menstrual cycle. White arrowhead indicates glandular epithelial cells and stromal cells positive for SRC-2 expression; black arrowhead in left panel shows mitotic figures whereas the grey arrowhead in both panels indicates stromal cells negative for SRC-2 expression. Note the tortuosity typically exhibited by the glandular epithelium during the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0098664#pone.0098664-Noyes1" target="_blank">[68]</a> (<b>Fig. 1C</b> (right panel)). Scale bar in the left panel applies to the right panel.