Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 1, 2026

A High Throughput in situ Hybridization Method to Characterize mRNA Expression Patterns in the Fetal Mouse Lower Urogenital Tract
10:24

A High Throughput in situ Hybridization Method to Characterize mRNA Expression Patterns in the Fetal Mouse Lower Urogenital Tract

Published on: August 19, 2011

13.1K

mRNA and Protein Expression in Human Fetal Membrane Cells: Potential Biomarkers for Preterm Prelabor Rupture of the

Emmeli Mikkelsen1,2, Berthold Huppertz3, Ripudaman Singh4

  • 1Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Blvd. 11, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|November 14, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Researchers identified unique markers in fetal membrane cells for potential preterm prelabor rupture of the fetal membranes (pPROM) biomarkers. These markers could aid in detecting pPROM by analyzing fetal cells in maternal blood.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Genomics
  • Biomarker Discovery

Background:

  • Preterm prelabor rupture of the fetal membranes (pPROM) is linked to inflammation and cellular senescence.
  • Identifying fetal membrane cell markers could lead to novel biomarkers for pPROM detection in maternal blood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify unique markers expressed in fetal membrane cells.
  • To assess the potential of these markers for detecting pPROM in maternal circulation.

Main Methods:

  • Transcriptomic profiling (RNA sequencing) of amnion and chorion tissues.
  • Immunohistochemistry to confirm protein localization in fetal membranes and placenta.
  • Comparison of fetal membrane cell markers with maternal white blood cells and placental cells.

Main Results:

  • Identified 31 upregulated transcripts in amnion and 42 in chorion compared to maternal white blood cells.
  • Confirmed mRNA and protein expression for 20 of the identified markers in fetal membrane cells.
  • Found 9 proteins not significantly expressed in placental trophoblasts, suggesting potential specificity.

Conclusions:

  • Unique markers in fetal membrane cells show promise as biomarkers for pPROM.
  • Further validation is needed to confirm their utility in maternal blood analysis for pPROM diagnosis.
Keywords:
RNA sequencingamniochorionic membranesbiomarkersfetal membranesimmunohistochemistrymRNA expressionplacentaplacental bedpreterm prelabor rupture of membranesprotein expression

More Related Videos

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

13.1K
siRNA Transfection and EMSA Analyses on Freshly Isolated Human Villous Cytotrophoblasts09:57

siRNA Transfection and EMSA Analyses on Freshly Isolated Human Villous Cytotrophoblasts

Published on: September 20, 2016

10.7K

Related Concept Videos

RNA Splicing01:32

RNA Splicing

Splicing is the process by which eukaryotic RNA is edited before its translation into protein. The RNA strand transcribed from eukaryotic DNA is called the primary transcript. The primary transcripts that become mRNAs are called precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs). Eukaryotic pre-mRNA contains alternating sequences of exons and introns. Exons are nucleotide sequences that code for proteins, whereas introns are the non-coding regions. In RNA splicing, introns are removed and exons are bonded...
Nuclear Export of mRNA02:31

Nuclear Export of mRNA

Before mRNAs are exported to the cytoplasm, it is crucial to check each mRNA for structural and functional integrity. Eukaryotic cells use several different mechanisms, collectively known as mRNA surveillance, to look for irregularities in mRNAs. Irregular or aberrant mRNA are rapidly degraded by various enzymes. If a defective mRNA escapes the surveillance, it would be translated into a protein which would either be non-functional or not function properly. One of the primary irregularities in...
Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay02:27

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

The Upf proteins that carry out nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) are found in all eukaryotic organisms, including humans. Each protein has an individual role, but they need to work in collaboration. Upf1 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that unwinds the RNA helix. Because Upf1 can unwind any RNA, Upf2 and Upf3 are required to help Upf1 discriminate between nonsense and normal mRNAs.
Usually, Upf3 binds to an Exon Junction Complex (EJC) at mRNA splice sites. If a ribosome fully translates the mRNA,...
Alternative RNA Splicing02:18

Alternative RNA Splicing

Alternative RNA splicing is the regulated splicing of exons and introns to produce different mature mRNAs from a single pre-mRNA. Unlike in constitutive splicing where a single gene produces a single type of mRNA, alternative splicing allows an organism to produce multiple proteins from a single gene and plays an important role in protein diversity.
There are five types of alternative RNA splicing that vary in the ways the pre-mRNA segments are removed or retained in the mature mRNA. The first...
mRNA Stability and Gene Expression02:51

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability