TY - JOUR
T1 - A reappraisal of the contrasting morphological appearances of villous cytotrophoblast cells during early human pregnancy; evidence for both apoptosis and primary necrosis
AU - Burton, G. J.
AU - Skepper, J. N.
AU - Hempstock, J.
AU - Cindrova, T.
AU - Jones, C. J P
AU - Jauniaux, E.
N1 - U54 HD31398, NICHD NIH HHS, United StatesUOI HD042298, NICHD NIH HHS, United States
PY - 2003/4
Y1 - 2003/4
N2 - Villous cytotrophoblast cells display a range of morphological appearances that are assumed to reflect different stages of differentiation. Here we demonstrate that apoptosis and primary necrosis can also occur in these cells during normal early pregnancy, and should be included in the list of possible phenotypes. Samples from 30 placentae of 6-15 weeks gestational age were examined. Cytotrophoblast cells displaying highly condensed chromatin, but no karyorhexis, were observed detached from the basement membrane, and represented 0.49% (s.d. ± 0.36) of the total population. Their cytoplasm was heavily vacuolated, and their mitochondria swollen, indicating secondary necrosis. By contrast, extremely pale-staining cells with large rounded nuclei (volume-weighted mean volume 471.6 μm3 compared to 250.1 μm3 for euchromatic cells) were frequently observed (5.97% of total, s. d. ± 4.31). These cells displayed loss of euchromatin, a paucity of cytoplasmic organelles, and swelling of the mitochondrial intracristal space and endoplasmic reticulum. Nuclei of these cells displayed a significantly higher level of gold labelling using the TUNEL technique compared to euchromatic nuclei [1.0 particles/μm2 (s.d. ± 0.13) vs 0.12 particles/μm2 (s.d. ± 0.03), P
AB - Villous cytotrophoblast cells display a range of morphological appearances that are assumed to reflect different stages of differentiation. Here we demonstrate that apoptosis and primary necrosis can also occur in these cells during normal early pregnancy, and should be included in the list of possible phenotypes. Samples from 30 placentae of 6-15 weeks gestational age were examined. Cytotrophoblast cells displaying highly condensed chromatin, but no karyorhexis, were observed detached from the basement membrane, and represented 0.49% (s.d. ± 0.36) of the total population. Their cytoplasm was heavily vacuolated, and their mitochondria swollen, indicating secondary necrosis. By contrast, extremely pale-staining cells with large rounded nuclei (volume-weighted mean volume 471.6 μm3 compared to 250.1 μm3 for euchromatic cells) were frequently observed (5.97% of total, s. d. ± 4.31). These cells displayed loss of euchromatin, a paucity of cytoplasmic organelles, and swelling of the mitochondrial intracristal space and endoplasmic reticulum. Nuclei of these cells displayed a significantly higher level of gold labelling using the TUNEL technique compared to euchromatic nuclei [1.0 particles/μm2 (s.d. ± 0.13) vs 0.12 particles/μm2 (s.d. ± 0.03), P
U2 - 10.1053/plac.2002.0882
DO - 10.1053/plac.2002.0882
M3 - Article
C2 - 12657502
SN - 0143-4004
VL - 24
SP - 297
EP - 305
JO - Placenta
JF - Placenta
IS - 4
ER -