Protection of Lycopene against Embryonic Anomalies and Yolk Sac Placental Vasculogenic Disorders Induced by Nicotine Exposure

Figure 2

Effects of lycopene on defects of vascular branching in nicotine-induced yolk sac. (a) Yolk sac treated with nicotine shows defects such as growth retardation, bloodless color, no visible vascular network, and a ring of blood island at E 10.5. (b) Histological findings of the cultured yolk sac by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Yolk sac wall shows defects such as lack of vascular branching, blood island, and intracellular vacuoles. (c) Maternal and fetal border in the placenta. Lycopene attenuates nicotine-induced defects of the labyrinth in the placenta. A: control; B: nicotine; C, D: nicotine and lycopene ( or ). Sp: spongiotrophoblast; la: labyrinth; cp: chorionic plate; bv: blood vessel; EC: endothelial cell; MC: mesothelial cell; arrows: blood island; arrowheads: intracellular vacuole. Bar: 100 μm.

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