Direct demonstration of iron in a term placenta in two cases of beta-thalassemia.
The aim of this study was to quantify iron in the placentas at the end of pregnancy in two patients suffering from beta-thalassemia and compare the data to that recorded from the placentas of healthy women. Iron was quantified in placental specimens taken after the delivery. The specimens were subjected to chemical treatments in order to remove extracellular iron and leave the intracellular iron intact. After coloration, each specimen was subjected to quantitative analysis of images in order to identify and quantify iron. Our results demonstrated that in beta-thalassemia there is an accumulation of iron in the outer basal cytoplasm of the epithelial cells of placental cotyledons.
Artico
M
M
Department of Pharmacology of Natural Molecules and General Physiology, University "La Sapienza," Rome, Italy. marco.artico@uniroma1.it
Ballati
G
G
Bosco
S
S
Cantarelli
D
D
Nagar
G
G
Grosso
A
A
Leali
F M Tranquilli
FM
Cavallotti
C
C
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000378:metabolism*
D007501:Iron