Extravillous trophoblast (EVT) migration and invasion through the decidualized endometrium is essential to successful placentation. SGHPL-4 cells, an EVT cell line derived from first trimester placenta, is a widely used model of cytotrophoblast differentiation into an invasive phenotype. Here we describe a quantitative cell migration assay that can be modified to also measure cell invasion. SGH...

Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) is a non-classical HLA molecule, predominantly expressed in cytotrophoblast cells to protect the fetus during pregnancy. Notably, a high frequency of HLA-G expression has been observed in a wide variety of cancer types in previous studies. Furthermore, HLA-G expression in cancer has been considered to be detrimental, since it can protect cancer cells from natur...

Following the initial observation about the exsistence of plant lectins-immunoreactive material in different rat and human tissues (D ebb age et al. 1993), we isolated a specific wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-immunoreactive (IR) protein from human placenta by combination of ion-exchange and immunoaffinity chromatography. It was characterized as 66 kD glycoprotein exhibiting calcium-dependent, car...

C-type virus particles and particles, approximately 35 nm in diameter, were present in the region of the basal plate from the placenta of a rhesus monkey and two baboons. Both particles appeared to bud from the plasma membrane of the cytotrophoblast: large, pleomorphic cells with cytoplasmic extensions, indented nuclei, well-developed endoplasmic reticulum, and glycogen deposits. Extracellular ...

Preeclampsia, particularly the severe cases that occur early in pregnancy, is associated with defects in the (placental) cytotrophoblast differentiation pathway that leads to uterine invasion. At a morphologic level, interstitial invasion often is shallow. Perhaps more significantly, endovascular invasion, particularly the arterial component, is rudimentary. The latter defect is thought to lead...

The lymphocyte differentiation marker CD8 acts as a coreceptor with the T cell receptor (TCR) during recognition of peptide presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. The functions of CD8 in the TCR complex are thought to be signaling through the association of CD8 with the protein tyrosine kinase p56lck and adhesion to MHC class I through the alpha 3 domain. While t...

BACKGROUND hCG is a wonder. Firstly, because hCG is such an extreme molecule. hCG is the most acidic glycoprotein containing the highest proportion of sugars. Secondly, hCG exists in 5 common forms. Finally, it has so many functions ranging from control of human pregnancy to human cancer. This review examines these molecules in detail. CONTENT These 5 molecules, hCG, sulfated hCG, hyperglycos...

In the placental villus, cells attach to basement membrane via integrin alpha6beta4 and adhere both laterally and apically to their neighbours. The most prominent adhesive specialisation seen using the electron microscope is the desmosome, which connects cytotrophoblast cells (CTB) laterally and also contributes to the attachment of CTB to the overlying syncytium. However, numerous cadherins an...

We present a computational model of the mechanics of growth of the trophoblast bilayer in a chorionic villous, the basic structure of the placenta. The placental trophoblast is modeled as a collection of elastic neutrally buoyant membranes (mononuclear cytotrophoblasts and multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast) filled with a viscous, incompressible fluid (cytoplasm) with sources of growth located ...