Transient loss of endothelial cells in human spiral artery remodelling during early pregnancy: Challenging the dogma

Judith N Bulmer; Barbara A Innes; Stephen C Robson; Gendie E Lash

doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2020.10.003

Transient loss of endothelial cells in human spiral artery remodelling during early pregnancy: Challenging the dogma

Placenta. 2020 Nov:101:230-233. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.10.003. Epub 2020 Oct 1.

Authors

Judith N Bulmer¹, Barbara A Innes¹, Stephen C Robson¹, Gendie E Lash²

Affiliations

¹ Reproductive and Vascular Biology Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
² Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: gendie.lash@hotmail.com.

PMID: 33027741
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.10.003

Abstract

Spiral artery (SpA) remodelling is essential for a successful pregnancy and is best described by its morphological features; vascular smooth muscle cell separation and loss, vessel dilatation, and invasion by extravillous trophoblast cells (EVT). Current opinion holds that EVT fully replace the endothelial cells (EC) of the SpA and take on EC-like characteristics. Placental bed biopsies (6-20 weeks gestation) were immunostained for EC and EVT, showing transient loss of EC. In vessels containing an endovascular EVT plug (n = 28) 77.6 ± 19.3% of the lumen was covered by EC while in vessels without endovascular EVT (n = 100) it was 100 ± 0%.

Keywords: Endothelial cells; Extravillous trophoblast cells; Spiral artery remodelling.

MeSH terms

Endothelial Cells / physiology*
Female
Humans
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Trimester, First / physiology*
Trophoblasts / physiology*
Uterus / blood supply*
Vascular Remodeling*