Patent ID: 7846680

Claim:
A method of assaying for the presence or absence of nucleolar channel systems (NCSs) in an endometrial tissue sample, where the method comprises contacting the tissue sample with an agent that is specific for a protein selected from the group consisting of Nup153, Nup62, Lamin A/C, Lamin A, Lamin B2, Emerin, Calnexin, Binding immunoglobulin Protein (BiP), Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), and CLIMP63, wherein the agent is an antibody or an antibody fragment, and wherein the presence of the protein within nuclei of endometrial epithelial cells indicates the presence of NCSs in the endometrial tissue sample and wherein the absence of the protein within nuclei of endometrial epithelial cells indicates the absence of NCSs in the endometrial tissue sample.