Study Background

This study will use menstrual fluid as a source of endometrial cells for deriving primary cultures of stromal cells and epithelial cell organoids. Use of menstrual fluid samples will provide a non-invasive source of endometrial cells, as opposed to uterine biopsies, which require women to undergo clinical procedures. Recently, the use of cells isolated from human menstrual samples has served as an effective means of collecting endometrial stroma and epithelial cell for research.

We will use cultured primary endometrial cells to:

1. Quantify PFAS in menstrual fluid and in circulation.
2. Classify samples as high or low PFAS, treat organoids with hormones or induce decidualization in stromal cells, and analyze response.
3. Stimulate blood with a pathogen-associated molecular pattern and quantify immune response.