CHARACTERIZATION OF CYTOTROPHOBLASTIC-LIKE CELLS PRESENT IN SUBINVOLUTIONED PLACENTAL SITES OF THE BITCH

This paper describes an approach to study the cells present in the sub involution of placental sites (SIPS), a pathological post partum condi tion of the bitch that causes persistent hemorrhage of the genital tra ct. The expression of intermediate filament proteins was examined to d etermine the fetal or maternal origin of the cytotrophoblastic-like ce lls found in this entity. Lectin binding on tissue sections were also studied to characterise cellular glycoconjugates. Image processing and morphometrical analysis of the histological images were done. The res ults revealed that the cells observed in bitches with SIPS expressed p ancytokeratins but neither vimentin nor desmin, in coincidence with no rmal cytotrophoblasts. The lectin binding pattern of both types of cel ls was similar, with the only exception of Arachis hypogaea agglutinin (PNA) and Triticum vulgaris agglutinin (WGA). These observations, in addition to the non statistically significant differences between morp hometrical characteristics of cytotrophoblastic and cytotrophoblastic- like cells in SIPS, might suggest the fetal origin of the latter cells which could play a role in the pathogenesis of this entity.