PPAR Signaling in Placental Development and Function
Figure 2
Schematic representation of the Pparg-null phenotype. (a) WT placenta. Al: allantois; Ar: maternal artery; Ch: chorion; De: decidua; FV: fetal blood vessels; La: labyrinth; MBP: maternal blood pools; Sp: spongiotrophoblast; TGC: trophoblast giant cells. (b) Pparg-null placenta. Corresponding structures are as in (a). Differences of note are marked erythrophagocytosis by spongiotrophoblast cells (red speckles), absence of fetal vessels and breakdown of the maternal blood pools in the labyrinth, and thickening of the chorion. (c,d) Ultrastructural features of WT and Pparg-null hemochorial barriers (based on [12]). See legend in (c) for identity of major features. Differences include thickening of the three trophoblast layers, near elimination of lipid droplets in layer III, and loosening of the tight adherence between the trophoblast (green) and fetal endothelium (orange).
