title: Tissue factor (TF) and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) in the placenta and myometrium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Placental abruption is mainly due to the rupture of the uterine spiral arteries, but adjacent tissues are also damaged and substances derived from disintegrated placenta and myometrium probably cause coagulation disturbances, such as hypofibrinogenemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure whether placenta and myometrium are significant sources of tissue factor (TF) and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), the components of key role in the initiation of coagulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Strips of placenta and myometrium were obtained from 48 women delivered by cesarean section at term. TF and TFPI concentrations were measured by immunoenzymatic method (ELISA) in tissue homogenates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Concentration of TF in placenta and myometrium was 31 (25-37) and 7.4 (4.9-11.4) ng/mg of total protein, respectively. In the plasma of the same women, it was 0.004ng/mg of total protein. TFPI concentration was 13 (10-17) ng/mg of total protein in placenta, 4.5 (3.1-7.3) ng/mg in myometrium, and 0.70 (0.50-0.80) ng/mg in blood plasma protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The levels of TF in placenta and myometrium, over TF in blood plasma may be clinically significant in obstetrics, for instance, in the etiology of DIC in placental abruption. The concentration of TFPI-natural inhibitor of TF-seems to be too low to prevent initiation of coagulation.
authors.affiliation: Regional Hospital, Suwalki, Poland.
authors.forename: Jarosław
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuczyński
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Uszyński
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zekanowska
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soszka
authors.forename: Mieczysław
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uszyński
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D009215:Myometrium / Q000737:chemistry*; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013925:Thromboplastin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; C051928:lipoprotein-associated coagulation inhibitor; D013925:Thromboplastin