Pathogenesis.

There are many hypotheses concerning the pathogenesis of endometriosis, though no single theory can explain all cases. It is likely that several mechanisms are involved. Early studies concentrated on the histogenesis of the endometriotic lesion. Recent evidence has implicated components of the immune system in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. This review considers the evidence for different theories of the histogenesis of endometriosis and discusses possible immune factors that may be involved in the pathophysiology of the disease.