Recent studies in rodents suggest that maternal immune activation (MIA) by viral infection is associated with schizophrenia and autism in offspring. Although maternal IL-6 is though t to be a possible mediator relating MIA induced these neuropsychiatric disorders, the mechanism remains to be elucidated. Previously, we reported that the maternal leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)-placental ACTH-fe...

Background: The demand for producing recombinant therapeutic proteins by mammalian cell lines, such as Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, continues to grow. Significant achievements in process optimization including development of cell culture strategies for largescale and cost-effective production have been made. Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is an often essential growth supplement and yet most cos...

It is well established that the majority of murine fetal thymocytes (day 15 of gestation) express receptors for interleukin 2 (IL-2), but the functional significance of these IL-2 receptors (IL-2Rs) is not clear. In situ hybridization data show a developmentally regulated expression of IL-2 and IL-2R mRNA. IL-2 binding studies were performed on fetal thymocytes and the results show the presence...

Cigarette smoking during pregnancy is associated with a variety of adverse fetal outcomes. Nicotine is a likely contributor to these adverse effects, with fetal brain as one target organ. Vaccination of adult male rats against nicotine has been shown to reduce nicotine distribution to the brain. The current study examined whether vaccination of female rats before pregnancy would reduce the dist...

The susceptibility to develop atherosclerosis is increased by intrauterine growth restriction and prenatal exposure to maternal hypercholesterolemia. Here, we studied whether mouse gestational hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis affected fetal development and growth at different stages of gestation. Female LDLR KO mice fed a proatherogenic, high cholesterol (HC) diet for 3 weeks before con...

Fetal hypoxaemia may result from altered maternal PaO2 or a reduction in maternal placental or umbilical blood flow. It is also possible that reduction of gas exchange across the placenta could limit the oxygen supply to the fetus. In this review we will be concerned with the effects of hypoxaemia in fetal sheep during the latter half of pregnancy. At present it is not easy to reduce maternal p...

BACKGROUND Preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction are major causes of perinatal death and handicap in survivors. Randomized clinical trials have reported that the risk of preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia, and fetal growth restriction can be reduced by the prophylactic use of aspirin in high-risk women, but the appropriate dose of the drug to achieve this objective is not certain. OBJECTIV...

In fetal sheep, the electrocorticogram (ECOG) recorded directly from the cortex during repetitive heart rate (FHR) decelerations induced by umbilical cord occlusions (UCO) predictably correlates with worsening hypoxic-acidemia. In human fetal monitoring during labor, the equivalent electroencephalogram (EEG) can be recorded noninvasively from the scalp. We tested the hypothesis that combined fe...

Aim: Hypoxic fetal compromises are cured by the early delivery with C-section at present, while the surgery causes maternal morbidity by uterine scar. The vaginal delivery of normal fetus after treatment in utero will cure the fetus reducing placenta accreta in succeeding delivery. Methods: 1. Maternal O2 inhalation increased fetal PaO2 in fetal distress, though the effect was insufficient. 2. ...

Fetal akinesia refers to a broad spectrum of disorders in which the unifying feature is a reduction or lack of fetal movement. Fetal akinesias may be caused by defects at any point along the motor system pathway including the central and peripheral nervous system, the neuromuscular junction and the muscle, as well as by restrictive dermopathy or external restriction of the fetus in utero. The f...