Healthy and pre-eclamptic placental basal plate lining cells: quantitative comparisons based on confocal laser scanning microscopy.
Immunocytochemical confocal laser scanning microscope images of the monolayer of cells lining the intervillus space at the basal plate of term placentae were analysed using stereology. Immunoreactively-distinct regions of this mosaic layer were measured. In basal plate from healthy pregnancies, trophoblast epithelium occupied 18.91% of the surface area and endothelium 60.81%. In pre-eclampsia the equivalent areas were 15.57% and 67.63%. Acellular fibrinoid covers the remaining area and this component decreases in area in pre-eclampsia. The statistically significant increase in the cellular endothelial compartment may be relevant to the hypertensive pathology of pre-eclampsia as endothelial signalling plays a major role in regulation of blood pressure.
Advanced Light Microscope Facility, Department of Infection Immunity and Inflammation, School of Medicine and Biological Sciences, University of Leicester and Warwick Medical Schools, Leicester, LE1 9HN, United Kingdom.
R K
RK
Smith
C D
CD
Ockleford
S
S
Byrne
P
P
Bosio
R
R
Sanders
D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism
D007633:Keratins