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Human Reproduction, Vol. 14, No. 2, 496-504, February 1999
© 1999 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Are human placental bed giant cells merely aggregates of small mononuclear trophoblast cells? An ultrastructural and immunocytochemical study

R.S. Al-Lamki1, J.N. Skepper and G.J. Burton

University of Cambridge, Department of Anatomy, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK

The ultrastructure of placental bed giant cells in early human pregnancies of 7–12 weeks gestational age is described. Their nature and function was further characterized by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy of paraffin sections labelled for cytokeratin, gap junction connexins (CX) 32 or 43, and placental hormones, {alpha}-human chorionic gonadotrophin ({alpha}-HCG) and human placental lactogen (HPL). Placental bed giant cells were observed with two phenotypes; as single large trophoblast cells containing one or more nuclear profiles in a voluminous cytoplasm, and as cell aggregates comprising mononuclear trophoblast cells in close apposition separated by narrow intercellular spaces. Cells within the aggregates are attached to one another by desmosomes, and also possess gap junctions as shown by immunolabelling for CX32 and CX43. By contrast, gap junctions were absent in the true multinucleated giant cells. Organelles present within the cytoplasm of the giant cells and their immunoreactivity for HPL and {alpha}-HCG suggest protein synthesis.

Key words: cell aggregate/human/immunocytochemistry/placental bed giant cell/ultrastructure

1 To whom correspondence should be addressed


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