Disrupted Balance of Angiogenic and Antiangiogenic Signalings in Preeclampsia

Figure 1

Schema and histology of the placenta. Endothelial cells of spiral arteries are replaced by cytokeratin- (CK-) positive extravillous trophoblasts (upper left). In terminal villous units, two distinct blood pathways exist, that is, maternal blood flow (M) and fetal circulation (F) that are separated by syncytiotrophoblasts. Villi are finely differentiated in normal term placentas, but poorly branched with fibrinous exudate and aggregation of syncytiotrophoblastic nuclei in preeclamptic placenta.