[Changes in the human fetal membranes in late pregnancy toxicoses]

Changes of a destructive and adaptational character have been revealed in the extraplacental coats in late toxicoses of pregnant women by histological, histochemical and spectrophotometrical methods. The intesity of the apotomical way of the glucose oxidation decreased in the aminiotic epithelium. While the activity of enzymes converting the lipid decomposition products into glycolysis increased. The glucose utilization in the chorial epithelium occurs mainly due to anaerobic glycolysis. Histochemical methods have established a high content of acid glucoaminoglycanes in the smooth chorion under these pathological conditions and the appearance of fibrinoid deposits on the border with the decidual tissue. The number of polyploid cells containing a considerable amount of RNA has been found to increase in the amniotic and chorial epithelium by spectrophotometric methods. The possible role of the extraplacental coats of the fetus in pathogenesis of late toxicoses is discussed.