title: Contractile properties of human placental anchoring villi.
abstract: The presence of myofibroblasts arranged parallel to the longitudinal axes of anchoring villi of the placenta has previously been described. Furthermore, it has been suggested that intraplacental blood volume, and hence fetal-maternal oxygen-nutrient exchange, may in part be regulated through the longitudinal contraction of anchoring villi. We demonstrate here that anchoring villi have the ability to contract and relax longitudinally. Anchoring villi from normal term human placentae were dissected and suspended from force-displacement transducers to determine their longitudinal contractility in response to potassium chloride (KCl), N(omega)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) and the nitric oxide donors sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). Treatment with both KCl and l-NAME resulted in up to a 62% and 74% increase, respectively, in longitudinal contraction over resting tone. In contrast, both SNP and GTN caused a dose-dependent relaxation of precontracted villi. Immunohistochemistry of longitudinal sections of villi confirmed the presence of alpha-actin-containing cells in the extravascular space. Histological staining with hemotoxylin and eosin confirm that the tissue used in these experiments were anchoring villi. These findings suggest that the contraction of anchoring villi may be an important mechanism whereby the placenta may regulate intraplacental volume.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kingston General Hospital, 76 Stuart St., Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 2V7.
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Farley
authors.forename: Charles H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Graeme N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011247:Pregnancy; D014661:Vasoconstriction; D014664:Vasodilation; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009599:Nitroprusside; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester