Differentiated Regions of Human Placental Cell Surface Associated with Attachment of Chorionic Villi, Phagocytosis of Maternal Erythrocytes and Syncytiotrophoblast Repair

Scanning electron micrographs of human placental cell surface show: (1) Differentiated zones of trophoblast which may be covered by fewer 'microvilli' than the adjacent syncytial cell surface and which extend as a narrow, usually distal protrusion of the chorionic villus. This narrow outgr...

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Published inProceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Containing papers of a biological character Vol. 204; no. 1156; p. 345
Main Authors Clint, J M, Wakely, J, Ockleford, C D
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England The Royal Society 23.05.1979
Subjects
Cell Membrane - physiology
Cell Membrane - ultrastructure
Erythrocytes - physiology
Female
Humans
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Microvilli - physiology
Microvilli - ultrastructure
Phagocytosis
Placenta - physiology
Placenta - ultrastructure
Pregnancy
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Summary:Scanning electron micrographs of human placental cell surface show: (1) Differentiated zones of trophoblast which may be covered by fewer 'microvilli' than the adjacent syncytial cell surface and which extend as a narrow, usually distal protrusion of the chorionic villus. This narrow outgrowth terminates as a fractured end. Presumably since preparations were obtained from therapeutic terminations of pregnancy or Caesarian deliveries these broken ends represent the yield point in the anchoring 'villi' ruptured as a result of surgery. Similar anchoring 'villi' with fractured ends were observed in unfixed material with the use of Nomarski interference contrast microscopy. (2) It appears that, during apparent phagocytic uptake of maternal erythrocytes by syncytiotrophoblast, cell surface lining the forming vacuole still retains an irregular microvillous surface. This observation indicates the potential location of phagocytosis receptors for red blood cells in the placental cell surface. (3) Areas of human placenta which appear to have been damaged and may be undergoing repair exhibit masses of cells with conspicuous microvillar cell surfaces. The origin of these cells is discussed in relation to the usual processes of syncytiotrophoblast formation.
ISSN:0962-8452
0950-1193
1471-2954
DOI:10.1098/rspb.1979.0031