title: [Role of placental apoptosis in fetal growth restriction].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship of placental cellular apoptosis and pathophysiology of fetal growth restriction (FGR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Placental samples were obtained from 18 pregnancies complicated by FGR and 14 normal pregnancies. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL) and transmission electron microscopy were used to confirm the occurrence of apoptosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In FGR group the placental apoptosis rate was (n = 18) 12.1 per thousand, the average placental weight was (236 +/- 24) g, the average birth weight was (2,071 +/- 428) g; In normal group (n = 14), the placental apoptosis rate was 7.3 per thousand, the average placental weight was (354 +/- 63) g, the average birth weight was (3,411 +/- 588) g (P < 0.05). The incidence of apoptosis was significantly higher in placental samples from pregnancies with FGR compared with normal placental samples (P < 0.05). Under transmission election microscopy, apoptosis was obviously compact and the chromatins were formed as mass.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that apoptosis may play a role in the pathophysiologic mechanisms of FGR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yingbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Shuyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Minsheng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Sen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011247:Pregnancy