Involution of the antimesometrial decidua in the mouse. An ultrastructural study

Involution of the antimesometrial decidua was analysed by electron microscopy on days 9, 10 and 11 of pregnancy in the mouse. During this period, the width of the antimesometrial decidua decreases considerably. Involution begins in the decidual cells situated closest to the embryo (internal decidua) and proceeds towards the myometrium. The cells of the internal decidua showed signs of deterioration characterized by accumulation of clumps of chromatin in the nuclei and dilation of the perinuclear cisterna and endoplasmic reticulum cisternae. Autophagosomes and heterophagosomes accumulated in the cytoplasm of these cells. Cells particularly strongly affected became spherical and were devoid of their plasma membrane. Some cells near the trophoblast as well as the mature decidual cells situated farther from the embryo showed a normal morphology. The trophoblastic cells established close contact with healthy decidual cells and engulfed fragments of disorganized decidual cells. It is suggested that the death of decidual cells is a type of programmed cell death and that it is not due to a direct lytic action by the trophoblast.