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Contractile properties of human placental anchoring villi

Contractile properties of human placental anchoring villi The presence of myofibroblasts arranged parallel to the longitudinal axes of anchoring villi of the placenta has previously been described. Furthermore, it has been suggested that intraplacental blood volume, and hence fetal-maternal oxygen-nutrient exchange, may in part be regulated through the longitudinal contraction of anchoring villi. We demonstrate here that anchoring villi have the ability to contract and relax longitudinally. Anchoring villi from normal term human placentae were dissected and suspended from force-displacement transducers to determine their longitudinal contractility in response to potassium chloride (KCl), N ω -nitro- L -arginine methyl ester ( L -NAME) and the nitric oxide donors sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). Treatment with both KCl and L -NAME resulted in up to a 62% and 74% increase, respectively, in longitudinal contraction over resting tone. In contrast, both SNP and GTN caused a dose-dependent relaxation of precontracted villi. Immunohistochemistry of longitudinal sections of villi confirmed the presence of α-actin-containing cells in the extravascular space. Histological staining with hemotoxylin and eosin confirm that the tissue used in these experiments were anchoring villi. These findings suggest that the contraction of anchoring villi may be an important mechanism whereby the placenta may regulate intraplacental volume. placenta; blood flow; smooth muscle Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: G. N. Smith, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kingston General Hospital, 76 Stuart St., Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 2V7 (E-mail: gns@post.queensu.ca ) http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology The American Physiological Society

Contractile properties of human placental anchoring villi

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Publisher
The American Physiological Society
Copyright
Copyright © 2011 the American Physiological Society
ISSN
0363-6119
eISSN
1522-1490
DOI
10.1152/ajpregu.00222.2004
pmid
15142834
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The presence of myofibroblasts arranged parallel to the longitudinal axes of anchoring villi of the placenta has previously been described. Furthermore, it has been suggested that intraplacental blood volume, and hence fetal-maternal oxygen-nutrient exchange, may in part be regulated through the longitudinal contraction of anchoring villi. We demonstrate here that anchoring villi have the ability to contract and relax longitudinally. Anchoring villi from normal term human placentae were dissected and suspended from force-displacement transducers to determine their longitudinal contractility in response to potassium chloride (KCl), N ω -nitro- L -arginine methyl ester ( L -NAME) and the nitric oxide donors sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). Treatment with both KCl and L -NAME resulted in up to a 62% and 74% increase, respectively, in longitudinal contraction over resting tone. In contrast, both SNP and GTN caused a dose-dependent relaxation of precontracted villi. Immunohistochemistry of longitudinal sections of villi confirmed the presence of α-actin-containing cells in the extravascular space. Histological staining with hemotoxylin and eosin confirm that the tissue used in these experiments were anchoring villi. These findings suggest that the contraction of anchoring villi may be an important mechanism whereby the placenta may regulate intraplacental volume. placenta; blood flow; smooth muscle Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: G. N. Smith, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kingston General Hospital, 76 Stuart St., Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 2V7 (E-mail: gns@post.queensu.ca )

Journal

AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative PhysiologyThe American Physiological Society

Published: Sep 1, 2004

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