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Placenta Aug 2011To assess by stereology the placental structure in type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 (T2DM) diabetic pregnancies compared to normal non-diabetic (ND) controls.
OBJECTIVE
To assess by stereology the placental structure in type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 (T2DM) diabetic pregnancies compared to normal non-diabetic (ND) controls.
STUDY DESIGN
Prospective case control study. Placentae were sampled in a systematic random fashion. Stereological analysis was performed using a computerised stereology programme (Image Pro 6.2, Media Cybernetics, Inc, Silver Spring MD, USA). Participants were matched for gender of infant and mode of delivery.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Volume, length and surface area of placental components; clinical outcome.
RESULTS
Ten ND, eight T2DM and ten T1DM women consented to the study. There was no difference between the groups regarding maternal age, neonatal birth weight, or placental weight. On stereological examination, terminal villous volume was significantly increased in both diabetic groups compared to ND controls. Capillary volume and length was increased in T1DM pregnancies compared to ND and T2DM. Capillary length was increased in both diabetic groups compared to ND. When all diabetic groups were compared based on severity of glycaemia those with poor glycaemic control (HbA1c>7%) had higher placental capillary volume than those with good glycaemic control.
CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates an association between maternal diabetes and increased terminal villous volume. Additionally capillary volume and length is increased in the placentae of normally grown infants of T1DM diabetic mothers compared to non-diabetic controls. Maternal glycaemia appears to influence capillary, but not stromal, development. This suggests that factors other than glycaemia have a role in placental development in pre-gestational diabetes.
Topics: Adult; Blood Glucose; Capillaries; Case-Control Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Humans; Male; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy in Diabetics; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 21621839
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2011.04.015 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... May 2013Few mammalian organs vary as dramatically among species as the placenta. This variation is remarkable considering that the placenta's primary function--transfer of...
Few mammalian organs vary as dramatically among species as the placenta. This variation is remarkable considering that the placenta's primary function--transfer of nutrients and waste between mother and offspring--does not differ among species. Evolutionary changes in placental morphology remain poorly understood, with suggestions that parent-offspring conflict or evolutionary changes in life history might drive placental evolution. Here we demonstrate that life history differences among eutherian mammals are associated with major transitions in maternofetal interdigitation and placental invasiveness. We show that the repeated evolution of villous interdigitation is associated with reduced offspring production early in life and an increased lifespan. Further changes in placental morphology that reestablish a larger surface area are also associated with a change back to greater offspring production. After controlling for these differences in interdigitation, we also show that the least invasive placental type is associated with a fast pace of life. We predict that selection for a faster pace of life intensifies parent-offspring conflict, and that the repeated evolution of less-invasive placental structures might have allowed mothers to wrest back control of gestation from the fetus and alter their relative allocation to offspring production across life.
Topics: Aging; Animals; Biological Evolution; Body Weight; Cellular Senescence; Female; Mammals; Phylogeny; Placenta; Placentation; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal; Reproduction; Species Specificity; Time Factors
PubMed: 23610401
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1305018110 -
Medical Trial Technique Quarterly Mar 1971
Topics: Abruptio Placentae; Female; Humans; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Placenta; Placenta Accreta; Placenta Diseases; Placenta Previa; Placental Hormones; Pregnancy
PubMed: 5550296
DOI: No ID Found -
Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology Jun 2016The placenta is the critical interface between the mother and the developing fetus and is essential for survival and growth. Despite the widespread use of ultrasound...
The placenta is the critical interface between the mother and the developing fetus and is essential for survival and growth. Despite the widespread use of ultrasound imaging and Doppler in obstetrics and gynecology and the recent growth of elastographic technologies, little is known about the biomechanical (elastic shear wave) properties of the placenta and the range of normal and pathologic parameters that are present. This study uses a well-developed protocol for perfusing whole placentas, post-delivery, to maintain tissue integrity and function for hours. In this model, the placenta is living, whole and maintained within normal physiologic parameters such as flow, arterial pressure and oxygen, throughout examination by ultrasound, Doppler and shear wave elastography. The preliminary results indicate that normal placental tissue on the fetal side has shear wave speeds on the order of 2 m/s, in a range similar to those of animal livers. Some abnormalities are found outside this range, and thus, elastographic measures of the placenta may provide useful assessments related to the state of the tissue.
Topics: Biomechanical Phenomena; Elasticity; Elasticity Imaging Techniques; Female; Humans; Placenta; Placenta Diseases; Pregnancy
PubMed: 27006269
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2016.01.009 -
Obstetrics and Gynecology Jul 1997To study placental cavities by gross and microscopic examination and ultrasonography and their frequency with various epidemiologic factors and intervillous thrombosis.
OBJECTIVE
To study placental cavities by gross and microscopic examination and ultrasonography and their frequency with various epidemiologic factors and intervillous thrombosis.
METHODS
After formalin fixation, interval sections of 567 placentas were prepared to search for cavities and intervillous thrombosis. Cavities were subjected to histologic and ultrasonographic examinations.
RESULTS
Frequency of cavities with diameter of 1 cm or more was 34.9% in 567 mature placentas. Frequency of cavities was significantly higher in heavy, thick placentas associated with male fetuses. Histologic examination revealed villus laceration in cavities and syncytial cells, isolated chorionic villi, or air bubbles in placental fetal veins. All 82 placentas with cavities showed villus lacerations in the cavities and air bubbles in the fetal veins. Intervillous thromboses in fetal lobules were located only in the cavities. Cavities were first found by ultrasonography at a mean gestational age of 30.9 +/- 3.8 weeks. Ultrasonography did not always differentiate accurately between intervillous thrombosis and cavities.
CONCLUSION
Placental cavities were found significantly more often in heavy, thick placentas associated with male fetuses. Strong uterine contractions during placental detachment could produce villus laceration in cavities, following contamination by air bubbles and isolated villus tissue in the fetal veins. Placental cavities are vulnerable to villus laceration. Intervillous thrombosis occurred only in cavities.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Organ Size; Placenta
PubMed: 9207824
DOI: 10.1016/S0029-7844(97)00125-7 -
Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy 2018Previous studies in singleton pregnancies reported conflicting trends in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values with gestational age (GA) and stable relative ADC... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
UNLABELLED
Previous studies in singleton pregnancies reported conflicting trends in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values with gestational age (GA) and stable relative ADC (rADC; ADC placenta divided by ADC globe) throughout pregnancy. The purpose of our study was to compare the ADC and rADC of placentas of twin and singleton pregnancies.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fetal MRI of 11 twin and 23 singleton pregnancies were retrospectively analyzed. Each group was further divided by GA (≤24 and >24 weeks). On ADC, 3 regions of interest were selected in the placenta and 1 in the globe. ADC and rADC measurements were compared between different GA and between singleton and twin placentas.
RESULTS
No significant difference was shown between ADC and rADC values of singleton and twin placentas as well as between ADC and rADC values of singleton and twin placentas at different GA. No significant difference was shown when accounting for both GA and number of fetuses.
CONCLUSION
The diffusion characteristics of twin placentas are similar to those of singleton placentas. ADC and rADC remain stable throughout pregnancy in twin and singleton placentas, reflecting stable extracellular water diffusion, despite changes associated with placental maturation.
Topics: Diffusion; Female; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Twin; Prenatal Diagnosis; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 29518777
DOI: 10.1159/000479686 -
Placenta Oct 2016Placental examination is recommended when genetic mutations cause fetal lethality in mice. But how fetal death alters histomorphology of the surviving mouse placenta is...
INTRODUCTION
Placental examination is recommended when genetic mutations cause fetal lethality in mice. But how fetal death alters histomorphology of the surviving mouse placenta is not known.
METHODS
Placentas were examined at E17.5 after fetectomy of 1-2 fetal mice per pregnancy at either embryonic day (E) 15.5 (N = 8; Fx-2 group) or E13.5 (N = 5; Fx-4 group), which left 12 ± 2 surviving fetuses per litter.
RESULTS
Fetectomy caused no changes in placental weights and no increases in placental hypoxia (pimonidazole staining). The size and cell morphology of the decidua and junctional zone regions were unchanged and, in the Fx-2 group, these regions became significantly less hypoxic. Significant changes in labyrinth volume included a 30% increase in the Fx-2 group and in both groups, a >50% decrease in % fetal blood space and >40% increase in % labyrinth tissue. Maternal blood sinusoid volume was unchanged. Cell death in the labyrinth was significantly increased (22-fold increase in TUNEL staining) whereas placental mRNA expression of the proliferation marker Mki67 was unchanged. mRNA expression of sFlt1 and Prl3b1 (mPL-II) was unchanged in the labyrinth and junctional zone tissues in the Fx-2 group and in whole placental tissue in the Fx-4 group.
DISCUSSION
Placental examination of the junctional zone and decidual regions after spontaneous fetal death in late gestation is likely to yield useful phenotypic information and abnormalities that may contribute to fetal death. In contrast, labyrinth abnormalities including increased tissue volume and reduced fetoplacental vascularity may not be due to genetic perturbation nor predate fetal death.
Topics: Animals; Female; Mice; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal
PubMed: 27697216
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2016.07.001 -
Bulletin of Experimental Biology and... Nov 2001We studied erythropoiesis in newborn infants delivered by mothers with normal pregnancy and gestosis. The effects of placental extracts on hemopoiesis in JCR mice were...
We studied erythropoiesis in newborn infants delivered by mothers with normal pregnancy and gestosis. The effects of placental extracts on hemopoiesis in JCR mice were also evaluated. Our results suggest that the placenta is involved in the regulation of fetal erythropoiesis. The placenta activates fetal erythropoiesis during physiological pregnancy, while in pregnant women with gestosis the erythropoiesis-stimulating effect of placentas was less pronounced, which probably determines low reticulocyte content in the umbilical blood.
Topics: Animals; Chorionic Villi; Erythropoiesis; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation; Hematopoiesis; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Mice; Placenta; Pregnancy; Time Factors
PubMed: 11865320
DOI: 10.1023/a:1017908322856 -
Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica... 1979468 placentas were studied microscopically and by gross examination. Velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord, placenta circumvallate, retroplacental hematoma in...
468 placentas were studied microscopically and by gross examination. Velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord, placenta circumvallate, retroplacental hematoma in connection with ablation of the placenta, and cord prolapse were found to be causative factors in asphyxia of the newborn. The increased placental weight was characteristic in maternal diabetes, hepatosis and, sometimes, in cases of infant malformations and specific inflammations. So-called embryonal persistence was often found histologically in these changes. Small fibrous placentas and those with ramification defects were commonly encountered among cases of toxemia and prolonged gestation. Microscopical placental maturation defects were not indicative of the fetal condition. Thus, only the changes found at gross examination appeared to be a significant indicator of the fetal prognosis.
Topics: Apgar Score; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Newborn, Diseases; Organ Size; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Prognosis
PubMed: 452869
DOI: 10.3109/00016347909154575 -
Hormone and Metabolic Research =... Jun 2014Leptin is described as a pro-inflammatory signal in fat tissue, which is released from adipocytes and in turn activates immune cells. Also, leptin levels are known to be...
Leptin is described as a pro-inflammatory signal in fat tissue, which is released from adipocytes and in turn activates immune cells. Also, leptin levels are known to be increased in pregnancies complicated with enhanced inflammatory processes in the placenta. Hence, we assumed that increased leptin amounts might contribute to inducing an inflammatory response in the placenta. To test this hypothesis, pregnant mice were continuously infused with recombinant murine leptin s. c. from day g13 to g16, resulting in a 3-fold increase of maternal circulating serum leptin levels. Dissected placentas were examined for the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 using qPCR analysis. No changes were found except for TNF-alpha, which was slightly elevated upon leptin stimulation. However, TNF-alpha protein levels were not significantly higher in placentas from leptin treated mice. Also, leukocyte infiltration in the labyrinth section of placentas was not increased. In summary, our data demonstrate for the first time that elevated leptin levels alone do not induce an inflammatory response in the placenta.
Topics: Animals; Cytokines; Feeding Behavior; Female; Inflammation; Leptin; Leukocytes; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Placenta; Pregnancy; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins
PubMed: 24591047
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1368710