Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Surface and branching of placental villi in early abortion: relationship to karyotype Scanning electron microscopic study

  • Published:
Virchows Archiv A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The placental villi of 61 early abortions with known karyotype and 7 legally induced abortions were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and documented in standardised enlargements. Five groups were established from the findings: uniformly branched villi with a velvety surface (group A) were found in 4 of the 7 induced abortions, abundant syncytial sprouts (group B) in 4 of the 6 cases with monosomy X; all 5 cases of triploidy were classified in the group bulbous or spherical villi (group C); 13 out of 25 cases of trisomy were found to have little branching and a surface densely covered with microvilli (group D), while 14 out of the 25 cases of euploidy belonged in the group with slender villi and surface with focal areas of denudation (group E). Forty of the 68 cases were properly assignable to the correct groups (58.8%). The non-uniformity of the villous morphology in the case of induced abortions shows that there is no uniform development of the (early) placenta. The variable morphology seen in abortions with euploidy reflects the various mechanisms of abortion applicable to this group.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baldwin VJ, Kalousek DK, Dimmick JE, Applegarth DA, Hardwick DF (1988) Diagnostic pathologic investigation of the malformed conceptus. Pediatr Pathol 9:65–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergström S (1971) Surface ultrastructure of human amnion and chorion in early pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 38:513–524

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bernert J, Rauskolb R, Jovanovic V, Eiben B, Hansmann I, Schleiermacher E, Köhler A (1988) Zytogenetische Untersuchungen von Chorionzottengewebe aus Abortmaterial. Gynäkologe 21:107–109

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boué A, Gropp A, Boué J (1985) Cytogenetics of pregnancy wastage. In: Harris H, Hirschhorn K (eds) Advances in human genetics. Plenum, New York, pp 1–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Boué J, Philippe E, Giroud A, Boué A (1976) Phenotypic expression of lethal chromosomal anomalies in human abortuses. Teratology 14:3–13

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruyere JH, Ayra S, Kozel SJ, Gilbert EF, FitzGerald JM, Reynolds JF, Lewin SO, Opitz JM (1987) The value of examining spontaneously aborted human embryos and placentas. Birth Defects 23:169–178

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burton GJ (1987) The fine structure of the human placental villus as revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Scanning Microsc 1:1811–1828

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Canki N, Warburton D, Byrne J (1988) Morphological characteristics of monosomy X in spontaneous abortions. Ann Genet 31:4–13

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eiben B, Borgmann S, Schübbe I, Hansmann I (1987) A cytogenetic study directly from chorionic villi of 140 spontaneous abortions. Hum Genet 77:137–141

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fujikura T, Ezaki K, Nishimura H (1971) Chorionic villi and syncytial sprouts in spontaneous and induced abortions. Am J Obstet Gynecol 110:547–555

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Geisler M, Kleinebrecht J (1978) Cytogenetic and histologic analysis of spontaneous abortion. Hum Genet 45:239–251

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Göcke H, Muradow I, Cremer H (1982) Morphologische und zytogenetische Befunde bei Frühaborten. Verh Dtsch Ges Pathol 66:141–146

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Göcke H, Schwanitz G, Muradow I, Zerres K (1985) Pathomorphologie und Genetik in der Frühschwangerschaft. Pathologe 6:249–259

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hansmann I, Bartels I, Schübbe I (1986) Cytogenetic analysis of early human abortuses after preparation of chromosomes directly from chorionic villi. Hum Genet 72:189

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Honoré LH, Dill FJ, Polland BJ (1976) Placental morphology in spontaneous human abortions with normal and abnormal karyotypes. Teratology 14:151–166

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kajii T, Ferrier A, Niikawa N, Takahara H, Ohama K, Avirachan S (1980) Anatomic and chromosomal anomalies in 639 spontaneous abortuses. Hum Genet 55:87–98

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kalousek DK (1987) Anatomic and chromosome anomalies in specimens of early spontaneous abortion: seven-year experience. Birth Defects 23:153–168

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kalousek DK, Poland BJ (1984) Embryonic and fetal pathology of abortion. In: Perrin EVDK (ed) Pathology of the placenta. Contemporary issues in surgical pathology, vol 5. Churchill Livingstone, New York, pp 37–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Köhler A (1988) Zytogenetische Aspekte der Chorionzottenbiopsie. Gynäkologe 21:99–103

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ludwig H, Metzger H, Wolf H (1975) The placenta (man). In: Hafez ESE (ed) Scanning electron microscopic atlas of mammalian reproduction. Thieme, Stuttgart, pp 346–357

    Google Scholar 

  • Maier DB (1987) Genetic and infectious causes of habitual abortion. In: Gondos B, Riddick DH (eds) Pathology of infertility. Thieme, Stuttgart, pp 201–218

    Google Scholar 

  • Minguillon C, Vogel M, Eiben B, Hansmann I (1988) Histomorphologische Merkmale bei embryonalen Spontanaborten mit und ohne Chromosomenaberration. Verh Dtsch Ges Pathol 72:591

    Google Scholar 

  • Minguillon C, Eiben B, Bähr-Porsch S, Vogel M, Hansmann I (1989) The predictive value of chorionic villus histology for identifying chromosomally normal and abnormal spontaneous abortions. Hum Genet 82:373–376

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Müntefering H, Becker K, Schleiermacher E (1982) Korrelation zwischen morphologischen und zytogenetischen Befunden bei Spontanaborten. Verh Dtsch Ges Pathol 66:372–377

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Müntefering H, Schmidt C, Geisler M (1987) Korrelation zwischen morphologischen und zytogenetischen Befunden an der Chorionzotte. Verh Dtsch Ges Pathol 71:454

    Google Scholar 

  • Novak R, Agamonalis D, Dasu S, Igel H, Platt M, Robinson H, Shehata B (1989) Histological analysis of placental tissue in first trimester abortions. Pediatr Pathol 8:477–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Ockleford C, Barker C, Griffiths J, McTurk G, Fisher R, Lawler S (1989) Hydatiform mole: an ultrastructural analysis of syncytiotrophoblast surface organization. Placenta 10:195–212

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ohama K, Ueda K, Okamoto E, Takenaka M, Fujiwara A (1986) Cytogenetic and clinicopathological studies of partial moles. Obstet Gynecol 68:259–262

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ornoy A, Salamon-Arnon J, Ben-Zur Z, Kohn G (1981) Placental findings in spontaneous abortions and stillbirths. Teratology 24:243–252

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Philippe E (1973) Consequences des anomalies chromosomiques sur le developpement. In: Boué A, Thibault C (eds) Les accidents chromosomiques de la reproduction. Inserm Paris, pp 119–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Rehder H, Coerdt W, Eggers R, Klink F, Schwinger E (1989) Is there a correlation between morphological and cytogenetic findings in placental tissue from early missed abortions? Hum Genet 82:377–385

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reimer L, Pfefferkorn G (1973) Rasterelektronenmikroskopie. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Röckelein G (1989) Abortursachen und Morphologie der Abortplazenta. In: Becker V, Röckelein G Pathologie der weiblichen Geschlechtsorgane. Pathologie der Plazenta und des Abortes. In: Doerr W, Seifert G (eds) Spezielle pathologische Anatomie, vol 20/I. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 155–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Röckelein G, Schröder J, Ulmer R (1989) Korrelation von Karyotyp und Plazentamorphologie beim Frühabort. Pathologe 10:306–314

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rüschoff J, Chudoba I, Köhler A (1988) Zur Histopathologie von Chorionzotten im ersten Trimenon der Schwangerschaft. Gynäkologe 21:104–106

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schröder J (1989) Morphologische und morphometrische Befunde an Plazentazotten aus Frühaborten mit unterschiedlichem Karyotyp. Inaugural Dissertation, Erlangen

  • Szulman AE (1987a) Complete hydatidiform mole: clinicopathologic features. In: Szulman AE, Buchsbaum HJ (eds) Gestational trophoblastic disease. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 27–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Szulman AE (1987b) Partial hydatiform mole. In: Szulman AE, Buchsbaum HJ (eds) Gestational trophoblastic disease. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 37–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Szulman AE (1988) Timing of embryo/fetal death in spontaneous abortion (abstract). XVII International Congress of the International Academy of Pathology and 8th World Congress of Academic and Environmental Pathology. Dublin. JAP, p 282

    Google Scholar 

  • Szulman A, Phillipe E, Boué JG, Boué A (1981) Human triploidy: association with partial hydatiform mole and nonmolar conceptuses. Hum Pathol 12:1016–1021

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vogel M (1984) Pathologie der Schwangerschaft, der Plazenta und des Neugeborenen. In: Remmele W (ed) Pathologie 3. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 509–574

    Google Scholar 

  • Vogel M (1986) Placentabefunde beim Abort. Virchows Arch [A] 346:212–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Warburton D, Stein Z, Kline J, Susser M (1980) Chromosome abnormalities in spontaneous abortion: data from the New York City study. In: Porter IH, Hook EB (eds) Human embryonic and fetal death. Academic Press, New York, pp 261–288

    Google Scholar 

  • Wynn RM (1975) Development and ultrastructural adaptions of the human placenta. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 5:3–21

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstra\e 8-10, D-8520, Erlangen, Germany

    G. Röckelein & R. Schwille

  2. Institute of Human Genetics, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstra\e 8-10, D-8520, Erlangen, Germany

    Renate Ulmer

Authors
  1. G. Röckelein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Renate Ulmer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Schwille
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Röckelein, G., Ulmer, R. & Schwille, R. Surface and branching of placental villi in early abortion: relationship to karyotype Scanning electron microscopic study. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 417, 151–158 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02190533

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02190533

Key words

Search

Navigation