From Dr David Redwine on Endometropolis: SAMPSONS THEORY HAS BEEN PROVED!! (sort of?) (maybe?)(hopefully?)(or not)(actually it hasnt been proved) It is with mixed emotions that I write this. I have long called for microscopic proof of all the steps of Sampsons theory of reflux menstruation as the origin of endometriosis. There are three missing steps: 1) showing initial attachment of refluxed endometrium or endometrial tissue fragments to pelvic surfaces; 2) showing proliferation and invasion of these renegade attached cells and/or tissue fragments into the peritoneum where; 3) formation of endometriosis is shown to occur from this invasion. For such an extremely common disease as endometriosis, and considering all the biopsies that have been taken for over a century, one would think that scientific proof of these missing steps would have been found by now. A red blood cell is about 8 microns (8 micrometers, or 8 millionths of a meter) in diameter, which is a little smaller than a typical endometrial cell. A human hair is about 100 microns in diameter. All of these cells can be seen under traditional light microscopes. The average size of invisible microscopic endometriosis in a study from Europe was over 300 microns in dimension. But despite the seemingly assured ability of traditional light microscopy to find these 3 missing steps since the viewing resolution of light microscopy is perfectly sufficient to find these three steps, robust scientific proof has never been found. Its not for lack of trying - people have looked for these steps in the microscopic endometriosis papers of the late 1980s and early 1990s. It has been argued that although the consensus is that Sampsons theory is the origin of endometriosis (except when its not the origin), that the process occurring with Sampsons theory of reflux menstruation is actually too tiny or occurs too rapidly to observe. As a result, we have depended on faith for existence of the theory. Well, our prayers have been answered and the wait is over. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2014 was just awarded to 3 researchers who have extended greatly the magnification possible with optical light microscopes. The ability to view small things under light microscopy used to be limited by the quality of the glass, the light-collecting capability of the glass lens (which was related to the diameter of the lens and the brightness of the light shining up through the specimen being examined), but a brick wall was seemingly achieved by what is called Abbes diffraction limit. This was an equation from 1873 which defined the limit at which the molecular and atomic characteristics of what was being viewed would interfere with microscopic visual acuity by causing too much diffraction. Diffraction is the bending of light waves and if the light waves bend in all kinds of different directions, then the object being viewed would appear to be blurred, no matter how much more powerful the glass lens might be. Abbes diffraction limit had meant that objects smaller than 1 micron (1 micrometer, or 1 millionth of a meter) could not be clearly seen. The recipients of this years prize overcame this diffraction limit by manipulating molecules (dont ask me how) so that they could now view molecules in real time. A molecule is extremely small, about 1 nanometer in dimension, or one billionth of a meter. This pushes the ability of light microscopy to view tiny things by about a factor of one thousand, which is a huge quantum leap in the ability of light microscopy to find tiny tiny things. This ability was inconceivable only 20 years ago and provides the required proof of Sampsons theory. If these turbo light microscopes can see such incredibly tiny things, then the problem of the steps of Sampsons theory being too small to observe have been solved. Although such microscopes have not been used to investigate the three missing steps of Sampsons theory, the fact is that since these microscopes can easily find the three missing steps IN REAL TIME!!, proof of Sampsons theory is as good as gold. Something so common and so depended on for treatment of millions of women has just been waiting for such a tool for proof. The ability to see without question the three missing steps is a great leap forward that will solidify the use of Lupron, hysterectomy, and birth control pills to retard reflux menstruation, thus propelling us into an exciting era of prevention of endometriosis. All of this thanks to this microscope. Hallelujah. ..... right?
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 22:30:03 +0000
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