[Changes in the placenta of the elk Alces alces L. during pregnancy (morphometric research)]

Elk placentomes were studied during different stages of pregnancy using morphometry and optico-structural computerised analysis. Histological sections and smears from the surface of placentome section were made for that. Placentome were obtained from animals subjected to legal shooting in hunting districts of Novosibirsk. The attention was focused on the examination of cellular elements that constitute a trophoblastic lining and on distribution of capillaries maximally close to trophoblast in chorion villi. Diplokaryocytes are the predominant cellular population among the giant trophoblastic cells. The process of trophoblastic elements migration oriented to maternal organism tissues was described during the entire gestation period since month 3 to 8. Small placentome appearance on month 7 of pregnancy is considered for the manifestation of placental accessory compartments formation within the period of more intensive growth of the fetus body weight.