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Updated: Jul 30, 2025

Human Placental and Decidual Organ Cultures to Study Infections at the Maternal-fetal Interface
Published on: July 21, 2016
Utilizing primary HLA-G+ extravillous trophoblasts and HLA-G+ EVT-like cell lines to study maternal-fetal
Ira Hamilton1, Nadia M Ikumi2, Sarika Kshirsagar3
1Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 42229, USA.
Fetal extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) are the most invasive cells of the placenta and play a key role in modulating maternal immune responses. Here, we present a protocol to purify and culture human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G)+ EVTs. We describe steps for tissue dissection, tissue digestion, density gradient centrifugation, and cell sorting, and we provide detailed methods to determine EVT function. HLA-G+ EVTs are isolated from two maternal-fetal interfaces: the chorionic membrane and the basalis/villous tissue. This protocol allows in-depth functional investigation of maternal immune interactions with HLA-G+ EVTs. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Papuchova et al. (2020),1 Salvany-Celades et al. (2019),2 Tilburgs et al. (2015),3 Tilburgs et al. (2015),4 van der Zwan et al. (2018).5.
Fetal extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) are the most invasive cells of the placenta and play a key role in modulating maternal immune responses. Here, we present a protocol to purify and culture human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G)+ EVTs. We describe steps for tissue dissection, tissue digestion, density gradient centrifugation, and cell sorting, and we provide detailed methods to determine EVT function. HLA-G+ EVTs are isolated from two maternal-fetal interfaces: the chorionic membrane and the basalis/villous tissue. This protocol allows in-depth functional investigation of maternal immune interactions with HLA-G+ EVTs. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Papuchova et al. (2020),1 Salvany-Celades et al. (2019),2 Tilburgs et al. (2015),3 Tilburgs et al. (2015),4 van der Zwan et al. (2018).5.

