Talk:Placenta - Histology

2007

Hofbauer cells in early human placenta: possible implications in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis

Seval Y, Korgun ET, Demir R. Placenta. 2007 Aug-Sep;28(8-9):841-5. Epub 2007 Mar 9.

The stroma of the placental villi contain numerous macrophages, so-called Hofbauer cells which are of mesenchymal origin and are thought to function in many processes. Although there are many studies concerning placental vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, there has been a lack of evidence on the possible roles of Hofbauer cells in these processes. In this study we hypothesized that Hofbauer cell locations and numbers might be correlated with the vascular structures within the placental villi core and therefore may be implicated to play roles in placental vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Placental tissues were obtained from normal first-trimester pregnancies. Tissues were prepared for light microscopic investigations. Double immunohistochemistry staining with CD31/PECAM1 and CD68 was applied to placental tissues. In placental villous core, majority of the Hofbauer cells were found to be either in close contact with angiogenic cell cords and primitive vascular tubes or located in between them. Moreover, the number of Hofbauer cells and vasculogenic structures were found to be significantly correlated. The findings of this study suggest for the first time that Hofbauer cells might be involved in the processes of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis in the placenta.

PMID: 17350092 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17350092

1989

Isolation and characterization of Hofbauer cells from human placental villi

Arch Gynecol Obstet. 1989;246(4):189-200.

Zaccheo D, Pistoia V, Castellucci M, Martinoli C.

Istituto di Anatomia Umana Normale, Università di Genova, Italy. Abstract Hofbauer cells are a major cell type of the human placental villous core and they are particularly numerous at the beginning of pregnancy. In the present study we describe a method suitable to obtain HC suspensions in a highly purified form. These suspensions have been analyzed for surface markers using a battery of monoclonal antibodies. Of all the surface markers used, Hofbauer cells were only positive for 4F2, LeuM2 and LeuM3 monoclonals which mainly detect cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage. Hofbauer cells were consistently negative for HLA-DR antigens, C3bR and T- or B-cell markers. Hofbauer cells appeared capable of phagocytosing latex beads, adhering to and spreading over plastic surface and secreting lysozyme. In contrast, they failed to originate an efficient respiratory burst in response to appropriate stimulation. Hofbauer cells were positive for ANAE with a perinuclear localization of the enzyme activity, but consistently negative for peroxidase. These observations suggest that they share a number of features with cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage and yet have some distinctive properties.

PMID: 2482706