The placenta is a homograft of unusual tenure. Several theories have been proposed in an attempt to explain this apparent homograft immunity. Basic to this problem is the question of trophoblastic antigenicity. One facet of this question is the transportation of trophoblast into the maternal circulation in normal gestations. Since these cells are of fetal origin the possibility of ABO isoimmunization occurring secondary to their transportation is evident. Such an immunologic response might also contribute to the rapid destruction of these cells by the maternal host.Of equal interest is a large body of statistical evidence which points to the selective intrauterine loss of gestations associated with fetal-maternal incompatibility within the ABO system. These questions have led us to study human placentas of various gestational ages for the presence of blood group substances by means of [mmunofluorescent (IF) staining. This paper presents the first phase of this work, the search for A and B substance in the trophoblast of the human term placenta.
Materials and MakodsTissue.--AU tissue specimens were obtained at the time of delivery or surgical removal and were quick-frozen in egg albumin mounts in a dry ice-acetone mixture at --40°C as described by Rahman and Luttrell (1). These specimens include representative areas of term placentas, blocks of adult myometrium, cervix, stomach, and fetal kidney. These tissue blocks were stored at --20°C until sectioning in a eryostat immediately prior to incubation with the antis e r u m .
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