Skip to main content
Fig. 1 | BMC Medicine

Fig. 1

From: Human placental mesenchymal stromal cells are ciliated and their ciliation is compromised in preeclampsia

Fig. 1

Villous stromal cells are ciliated and the ciliated population declines during gestation. A Placental tissues from 22 to 30 gestational weeks were stained for the primary cilium marker Arl13b (red), trophoblast marker cytokeratin 7 (green), and DNA (DAPI, blue). Representative ciliated stromal cells in stem villus, mesenchymal villus (white arrowhead), immature immediate villus, mature immediate villus, and terminal villus (green arrowhead) are shown. False positive staining of fetal red blood cells is indicated with a pink arrowhead. Scale: left two panels: 50 μm; right two panels: 25 μm. B–D Placental tissues from various gestational ages were stained for the Arl13b (red), cytokeratin 7 (green), and DNA (DAPI, blue). The cilium length of villous stromal cells and the percentage of ciliated cells were analyzed using the Arl13b staining. B The cilium length quantification is based on six different placental samples (n = 150–180 cilia for each group) and presented as scatter plot showing mean ± SEM. Unpaired Mann-Whitney U test was used. ∗∗∗p < 0.001. C The percentage of ciliated stromal cells in the villous cores was evaluated and is presented as median ± min/max whiskers in box plots (n = 600 cells, pooled from six experiments). Student’s t test was used. ∗∗∗p < 0.001. D Representatives of primary cilia are shown with indicated gestational age. Scale: 20 μm. Inset scale: 10 μm. E Placental tissue sections of 1st trimester placentas were also stained for mesenchymal cell marker vimentin (green), Arl13b (red) and DNA (blue) (left two panels) or with a mesenchymal stem/stromal cell marker CD90 (green), Arl13b (red), and DNA (blue) (right two panels). Representatives are shown. Scale: 20 μm. Inset scale: 10 μm. F Placental tissue sections from 1st trimester placentas, stained for Arl13b (red), cytokeratin 7 (green), and DNA (DAPI, blue), are shown as examples for the localization of ciliated stromal cells (arrowheads) near vessels in construction (F, 1st and 2nd panel) and formed vessels (vessel lumen < 5 μm) (F, 3rd and 4th panel). Scale: 20 μm

Back to article page