Binucleate trophoblast giant cells in the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) placenta

Abstract

The binucleate trophoblast giant cells (BNC) of the water buffalo, Bubalus bubalis, placenta were studied, with emphasis on the synthesis of BNC-specific proteins. Placentomal tissues of 27 water buffalos (2-10 months of pregnancy) were processed for light and electron microscopy. The frequency of BNCs was 20% of the trophoblastic cells in 2-3-month placentas and increased to 27% in the later stages. Ultrastructurally, binucleate cells displayed a prominent granular endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, typical of cells involved with protein synthesis and exportation. The buffalo BNCs contained periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive granules and reacted with antisera against bovine placental lactogen, prolactin-related protein-I, and pregnancy-associated glycoproteins. Lectin histochemistry with Dolichos biflorus agglutinin, Vicia villosa agglutinin, and Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin showed specific staining of BNCs. Different stages of BNC migration and fusion with uterine epithelial cells were observed. Trinucleate feto-maternal hybrid cells were the typical outcome of cell fusions. These cells underwent degeneration, with typical morphological features of apoptosis. The results revealed a strong homology between water buffalo and cattle BNCs concerning cell morphology, protein expression, glycosylation pattern, and characteristics of cell migration and fusion.

Fematrin-1 Is Involved in Fetomaternal Cell-to-Cell Fusion in Bovinae Placenta and Has Contributed to Diversity of Ruminant Placentation

“…Statistical analysis was performed by a Student t test, and differences were considered significant at a P value of Ͻ0.05 (indicated by an asterisk). placenta of B. bubalis (3) and Tragelaphus placental morphology is very similar to that of the genus Bos (7).…”

Caracterização das membranas fetais em búfalas no terço inicial da gestação

“…Assis Neto (2005) descreveu a membrana coriônica em bovinos e identificou que as células trofoblásticas estão entremeadas entre as células trofoblás-ticas gigantes, ambas as células são globosas com citoplasmas claros e bem granulares. Winsatt (1980) e Carvalho et al (2006 observaram que as células binucleadas do córion em diferentes espécies são semelhantes entre si. Estas características morfológicas da célula trofoblás-tica mononucleada e da célula gigante indicam uma semelhança entre a membrana coriônica de bubalinos e de outras espécies de ruminantes.…”

“…Carvalho et al (2006), descrevem em seu trabalho uma grande quantidade de estruturas capazes de produzir e estocar proteínas, indicando a semelhança entre os resultados obtidos.…”

The glycosylation of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins and prolactin-related protein-I in bovine binucleate trophoblast giant cells changes before parturition

“…The binding of PHA-L indicates the presence of N-acetyllactosamine-type glycans (Hammarströ m et al 1982, Kaneda et al 2002. This kind of glycosylation appears to be conserved within the bovids, since PHA-L also binds to granules of ovine (Jones et al 1994) and water buffalo (Carvalho et al 2006) BNC. In sheep, it has been demonstrated that PHA binds to PAG, which was immunopurified with the SBU-3 antibody (Atkinson et al 1993).…”