Early Onset Intrauterine Growth Restriction in a Mouse Model of Gestational Hypercholesterolemia and Atherosclerosis

Figure 2

LDLR KO females fed with a HC diet have normal placental development. (a) The mean numbers of conceptuses and resorptions per female retrieved at E15.5 and E18.5 were similar in LDLR KO chow- and HC-fed pregnant females ( litters from each group). (b) Placenta from hypercholesterolemic pregnancies had similar weights compared to those from control pregnancies at E15.5 and E18.5. (c) Histological analyses of E15.5 placenta showed similar tissue organization and distribution of the different placental structures: labyrinth (L), spongiotrophoblast (S), and decidua (D) in control and hypercholesterolemic placenta ( per group) (magnification: 8x). (d) Analysis of the vascular organization in the labyrinth in control and HC pregnancies ( placentas from each group). Upper panel: representative immunohistochemistry showing anticytokeratin positive syncytiotrophoblasts marking the interface between maternal and fetal circulations (magnification: 1,000x). Lower panel: quantification of the mean areas per labyrinth occupied by fetal vessels (surrounded by dashed line) containing large, immature red blood cells (arrow) and maternal sinuses (surrounded by dotted line) containing mature, enucleated red blood cells (arrowhead). Mean ± SEM.