[Morphological changes in the placenta in late pregnancy toxemias]

The article presents results of morphological, morphometric and cytochemical investigations of 100 placentae obtained in women who suffered from nephropathy of various degrees, and of placentae of mice with induced "graft versus host" reaction during pregnancy, and also of organs of two fetuses born to mothers who suffered from nephropathy of the III degree. In severe forms of late toxemia placentae, regularly showed infiltration of its structural elements with cells of the type of microlymphocytes with lytic properties. These changes occurred against the background of the placental metabolism turning into anaerobic respiration and they revealed a considerable degree of similarity to the changes in placentae of mice following the induction of the reaction "graft versus host". The morphological picture in lymphoid and other organs of the two investigated fetuses resembled very much that in "runt" disease.