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Immunohistochemical detection of apoptosis in the human term and post-term placenta
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of the Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Purpose:
To study the incidence of apoptosis in human term and post-term placenta and to determine its presence in different areas of placentas of uncomplicated pregnancies.
Methods:
A total of 15 placentas, 8 obtained from spontaneous deliveries and elective caesarean sections at term (37-41 weeks of pregnancy) and 7 from spontaneous deliveries and elective caesarean sections post-term (> 41 weeks of pregnancy) were included in this study. Apoptosis was identified by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labeling method (TUNEL, Boehringer, Mannheim, Germany) in paraffin-embedded sections.
Results:
Apoptosis was predominantly detected in trophoblast and stromal tissue. There were no significant differences in the incidence of apoptosis in different parts of placental tissue. A significant increase of apoptosis was seen in both trophoblast and stromal cells of post-term placentas (p < 0.05; p < 0.005).
Conclusions:
Apoptosis could be detected in the human term and post-term placenta, with increasing incidence in post-term placental tissue, suggesting a possible role of apoptosis in the mechanism of parturition and placental senescence.