Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Isolation of Primary Human Decidual Cells from the Fetal Membranes of Term Placentae
07:37

Isolation of Primary Human Decidual Cells from the Fetal Membranes of Term Placentae

Published on: April 30, 2018

14.3K

Dystroglycan in human fetal membranes decreases in later gestation and with spontaneous membrane rupture

Regan N Theiler1, Russell R Snyder, Shaleen K Theiler

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Tex., USA.

Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation
|October 25, 2014
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Dystroglycan (DG) levels in fetal membranes decrease at term and after spontaneous rupture of membranes (SROM), but not during labor. This finding is crucial for understanding pregnancy and labor progression.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Cellular biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Dystroglycan (DG) is a transmembrane protein essential for anchoring the cell membrane to the extracellular matrix.
  • DG is known to be cleaved by matrix metalloproteinases.
  • Changes in DG abundance may impact fetal membrane integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate alterations in dystroglycan (DG) abundance in fetal membranes (FM).
  • To determine if DG levels change late in gestation, with spontaneous rupture of membranes (SROM), or during labor.

Main Methods:

  • Fetal membranes (FM) were collected from four patient groups: term labor, term unlabored, preterm labor, and preterm unlabored.
  • Immunohistochemical staining was performed on FM using antibodies for α- and β-DG subunits.
  • Staining intensity was evaluated by a blinded pathologist.

Main Results:

  • A significant decrease in α- and β-DG staining intensity was observed in term FM.
  • DG staining was also significantly reduced after spontaneous rupture of membranes (SROM).
  • No significant change in DG staining was detected in the presence of labor.

Conclusions:

  • Dystroglycan (DG) intensity in fetal membranes is diminished at term and following SROM.
  • Labor itself did not appear to alter DG levels in the studied cohort.
  • These findings suggest DG plays a role in late gestation and membrane rupture events.

More Related Videos

In Vitro Culture of Epithelial Cells from Different Anatomical Regions of the Human Amniotic Membrane10:00

In Vitro Culture of Epithelial Cells from Different Anatomical Regions of the Human Amniotic Membrane

Published on: November 28, 2019

7.5K
An Experimental System to Study Mechanotransduction in Fetal Lung Cells09:35

An Experimental System to Study Mechanotransduction in Fetal Lung Cells

Published on: February 16, 2012

12.6K

Related Concept Videos

Transcytosis of IgG01:15

Transcytosis of IgG

Transcytosis is the process in which molecules are internalized by endocytosis, transported across the cell, and released through exocytosis from the opposite end of the cell. Molecules such as insulin, immunoglobulins, and certain nutrients are transferred through the recycling endosomes by recycling and transcytosis.
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
3.4K
Embryonic Connective Tissues01:20

Embryonic Connective Tissues

During early development, the embryo forms two types of connective tissues— the mesenchyme and mucoid connective tissue.
The mesenchyme is the first connective tissue that emerges in the developing embryo. It consists of loosely arranged multipotent mesenchymal cells and reticular fibers in the extracellular matrix. This loose arrangement allows easy migration of cells, which is essential for germ layer positioning, patterning, and organ morphogenesis during embryonic development.
6.7K
Cleavage and Blastulation01:33

Cleavage and Blastulation

After a large-single-celled zygote is produced via fertilization, the process of cleavage occurs while zygotes travel through the uterine tube. Cleavage is a mitotic cell division that does not result in growth. With each round of successive cell division, daughter cells get increasingly smaller.
42.1K
Types of Membrane Protrusions01:28

Types of Membrane Protrusions

The protrusion of the cell surface is an initial step for several cellular processes, including cell migration, phagocytosis, and neurite outgrowth. These membrane protrusions are a result of cytoskeletal rearrangement. The most  widely observed cell protrusions include lamellipodia, pseudopodia, filopodia, microvilli, invadopodia, and podosomes. These protrusions can be of two types — static or dynamic.
The microvilli, an example of stable protrusions, are finger-like projections...
3.0K