title: Immunohistochemical detection of apoptosis in the human term and post-term placenta.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the incidence of apoptosis in human term and post-term placenta and to determine its presence in different areas of placentas of uncomplicated pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 15 placentas, 8 obtained from spontaneous deliveries and elective caesarean sections at term (37-41 weeks of pregnancy) and 7 from spontaneous deliveries and elective caesarean sections post-term (> 41 weeks of pregnancy) were included in this study. Apoptosis was identified by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labeling method (TUNEL, Boehringer, Mannheim, Germany) in paraffin-embedded sections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Apoptosis was predominantly detected in trophoblast and stromal tissue. There were no significant differences in the incidence of apoptosis in different parts of placental tissue. A significant increase of apoptosis was seen in both trophoblast and stromal cells of post-term placentas (p < 0.05; p < 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Apoptosis could be detected in the human term and post-term placenta, with increasing incidence in post-term placental tissue, suggesting a possible role of apoptosis in the mechanism of parturition and placental senescence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of the Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Axt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meyberg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mink
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wasemann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reitnauer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy