Expression of insulin-like growth factor in the placenta of intrauterine growth-retarded human fetuses.
Many cases of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) are the result of placental and fetal tissue insufficiency. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is known to play a role in placental and fetal growth. An immunocytochemical study was performed to localize IGF-I peptides in human placenta and umbilical cords of normal (n = 3) and IUGR (n = 3) fetuses. The peripartum fetal conditions were evaluated as well. Immunoreactive IGF-I was detected in the cytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast, amnion, endothelial cells of fetal capillaries and in the decidua in both normal and IUGR placental tissue. A more robust immunostaining and increased numbers of positively stained cells were found in the decidua of IUGR placenta (p < 0.001). Intense immunostaining was also found in endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts of the umbilical vein. IGF-I immunoreactivity was also present in stroma (Hofbauer cells and/or fibroblasts) of IUGR villi. Our results indicate that expression of IGF-I is high in specific sites in placenta and umbilical cords, which indicates a paracrine and/or endocrine function. The increased expression of IGF-I in placenta of IUGR fetuses indicates its involvement in restoring normal growth by means of a positive feed-back mechanism.
Dalçik
H
H
Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli University, Derince-izmit, Turkey. hdalcik@yahoo.com
Yardimoğlu
M
M
Vural
B
B
Dalçik
C
C
Filiz
S
S
Gonca
S
S
Köktürk
S
S
Ceylan
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000650:Amnion / Q000378:metabolism; D003656:Decidua / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism*; D005333:Fetus; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000378:metabolism
D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I