title: Etiology and pathophysiology of preeclampsia.
abstract: The possible involvement of genetic and immune mechanisms in the etiology of preeclampsia has attracted increasing attention. Preeclampsia is characterized by a generalized disturbance in endothelial physiology, and not merely by an isolated defect in vascular prostacyclin synthesis. The increased production of oxygen free radicals and/or elastase by activated lymphoid cells in the pregnant decidua, a mainly lymphoid tissue, may be the link between the hypothetical immunologic mechanisms and the endothelial injury occurring in preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000502:physiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D009569:Nitric Oxide