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Immunohistochemical localization of inhibin/activin subunits in human placenta
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wakayama Medical College, Japan.
Objective:
To examine the cellular localization of each inhibin subunit in human placenta throughout pregnancy.
Method:
Placental tissues were collected and fixed in Bouin's solution, and studied with the immunohistochemical technique avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex.
Results:
There was immunohistochemical staining with antisera against each inhibin subunit in the syncytiotrophoblast, but not in the cytotrophoblast. In the first-trimester placenta, positive immunostaining for alpha- and beta A-subunits was clearly observed in the syncytial layer of villi, whereas staining for beta B-subunit was faint. In the second-trimester placenta, the relative intensities of staining for alpha- and beta A-subunits were similar to those in the first-trimester placenta, and enhanced positive immunostaining with beta B-subunit antiserum was observed. The relative amount of immunostainable alpha-subunit declined within the syncytiotrophoblast of the third-trimester placenta, whereas levels of immunostainable beta-subunits were unchanged.
Conclusions:
Inhibin subunits may be produced in the syncytiotrophoblast throughout pregnancy, and activin as well as inhibin may be synthesized in the syncytiotrophoblast of the term placenta.