Skip Navigation


Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on July 11, 2008
Human Reproduction 2008 23(10):2282-2291; doi:10.1093/humrep/den198
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
23/10/2282    most recent
den198v1
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Helige, C.
Right arrow Articles by Dohr, G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Helige, C.
Right arrow Articles by Dohr, G.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Trophoblastic invasion in vitro and in vivo: similarities and differences

C. Helige1,4, H. Ahammer2, A. Hammer1, B. Huppertz1, H.-G. Frank3 and G. Dohr1

1 Institute of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Center of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Harrachgasse 21, A-8010 Graz, Austria 2 Institute of Biophysics, Center of Physiological Medicine, Medical University of Graz, A-8010 Graz, Austria 3 AplaGen GmbH, D-52499 Baesweiler, Germany

4Correspondence address. Tel: +43-316-380-4256; Fax: +43-316-380-9625; E-mail: christine.helige{at}meduni-graz.at

BACKGROUND: The basic mechanisms of trophoblast invasion are not completely understood. This may be due to the lack of suitable in vitro models which enable experimental modulation of this complex process. In the present study, a three-dimensional co-culture model is used for comparing two factors considered to be implicated in the regulation of trophoblast invasion, the expression of HLA-G and apoptosis, in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS: Tissue fragments from human first trimester decidua parietalis were put in close contact with spheroids of AC-1M59 trophoblast/choriocarcinoma hybrid cells as a model of the invasive trophoblast. Cryostat sections from these co-cultures were immunohistochemically stained and compared with first trimester placentation sites in vivo. RESULTS: Only the invasive trophoblast-derived cells showed an intensive staining for HLA-G, whereas the cells on the periphery of the confrontation culture exhibited only a weak staining. A similar staining pattern was found in vivo. Both in vitro and in vivo CD45+ apoptotic leukocytes were frequently detected in close proximity to the invasive trophoblastic cells.

CONCLUSIONS: In this co-culture system, key factors considered to be implicated in trophoblast invasion in vivo can also be demonstrated in vitro. Therefore, it may help in finding strategies for the management of diseases associated with deficient trophoblast invasion.

Key words: apoptosis/HLA-G/invasion model/natural killer cells/trophoblastic invasion

Submitted on January 14, 2008; resubmitted on April 23, 2008; accepted on April 28, 2008.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.