ANTIGENIC IDENTIFICATION OF CELLS IN SPIRAL ARTERY TROPHOBLASTIC INVASION - VALIDATION OF HISTOLOGIC-STUDIES BY TRIPLE-ANTIBODY IMMUNOCYTOCHEMISTRY

OBJECTIVE: Trophoblastic invasion of spiral arteries in the placental bed is essential for normal human placentation. Because the absence of these physiologic changes is associated with abnormal pregnancies, we developed a simple immunocytochemical approach that allows simultaneo us study of three cell types involved in spiral artery changes (i.e, t rophoblastic, endothelial, and smooth muscle cells).