Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Localization of Fibrillin-1 in the Human Term Placenta

  • Original Article
  • Published:
The Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation: JSGI Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

We determined the level of message for fibrillin-1, a single-stranded glycoprotein found in the elastic microfibrils of the extracellular matrix, in human placenta compared with other adult human tissues and localized the protein in the term human placenta.

Methods

Northern blot analysis using a cDNA specific for fibrillin-1 was used to compare message levels in several adult human tissues and placenta. Immunohistochemical staining, using a monoclonal antibody to human fibrillin-1, was used to visualize the site of fibrillin-1 in term human placenta.

Results

Larger amounts of message for fibrillin-1 were present in placenta than in any of the other tissues tested. Staining for fibrillin-1 was present in the villous stroma but not in the basement membranes, trophoblast cells, or in blood vessels of stem, mature intermediate, or terminal villi.

Conclusions

Fibrillin-1 is distributed extensively in the villous stroma of the term human placenta and may contribute elastic properties to the placenta and basal plate required for an active uterus.

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

  1. Sakai LY, Keene DR, Engvall E. Fibrillin, a new 350-kD glycoprotein, is a component of extracellular microfibrils. J Cell Biol 1986;103:2499–509.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Dietz HC, Cutting GR, Pyeritz RE, et al. Marfan syndrome caused by a recurrent de novo missense mutation in the fibrillin gene. Nature 1991;352:337–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Maslen CL, Corson GM, Maddox BK, Glanville RW, Sakai LY. Partial sequence of a candidate for the Marfan syndrome. Nature 1991;352:334–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Maslen CL, Glanville RW. The Marfan syndrome. The Endocrinologist 1991;3:279–87.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Low FN. Microfibrils: Fine filamentous components of the tissue space. Anat Rec 1962;142:131–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Keene DR, Maddox BK, Kuo H-J, Sakai LY, Glanville RW. Extraction of extendible beaded structures and their identification as fibrillin-containing extracellular matrix microfibrils. J Histochem Cytochem 1991;39:441–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Fleischmajer R, Contard P, Schwartz E, MacDonald ED II, Jacobs L II, Sakai LY. Elastin-associated microfibrils (10 nm) in a three-dimensional fibroblast culture. J Invest Dermatol 1991;97:638–43.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Mecham RP, Heuser JE. The elastic fiber. In: Hay ED, ed. Cell biology of extracellular matrix. 2nd ed. New York: Plenum, 1991:79–109.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. Arbeille BB, Fauvel-Lafeve FMJ, Lemesle MB, Tenza D, Legrand YJ. Thrombospondin: A component of microfibrils in various tissues. J Histochem Cytochem 1991;39:1367–75.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Autio-Harmainen H, Hurskainen T, Niskasaari K, Hoeyhtyae M, Tryggvason K. Simultaneousexpression of 70 kilodal-ton type IV collagenase and type IV collagen al (IV) chain genes by cells of early human placenta and gestational endometrium. Lab Invest 1992;67:191–200.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Castellucci M, Classen-Linke I, Muehlhauser J, et al. The human placenta: A model for tenascin expression. Histochemistry 1991;95:449–58.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Earl U, Estlin C, Bulmer JN. Fibronectin and laminin in the early human placenta. Placenta 1990;11:223–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Juvonen M. Pihlajaniemi T, Autio-Harmainen H. Location and alternative splicing of type XIII collagen RNA in the early human placenta. Lab Invest 1993;69:541–51.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Nanaev AK, Rukosuev VS, Shirinsky VP, et al. Confocal and conventional immunofluorescent and immunogold electron microscopic localization of collagen types III and IV in human placenta. Placenta 1991;12:573–95.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Shen G-Q, Butkowski R, Cheng T, et al. Comparison of non-collagenous type IV collagen subunits in human glomerular basement membrane, alveolar basement membrane, and placenta. Connect Tissue Res 1990;24:289–301.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Schuppan D, Cantaluppi MC, Becker J, et al. Undulin, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein associated with collagen fibrils. J Biol Chem 1990;265:8823–32.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Rukosuev VS. Immunofluorescent localization of collagen types I, III, IV, V, fibronectin, laminin, entactin, and heparan sulphate proteoglycan in human immature placenta. Experientia 1992;48:285–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Amenta PS, Gay S, Vaheri A, Martinez-Hernandez A. The extracellular matrix is an integrated unit: Ultrastructural localization of collagen types I, III, IV, V, VI, fibronectin and laminin in human term placenta. Collagen Res Rel 1986;6:125–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Maddox BK, Sakai LY, Keene DR, Glanville RW. Connective tissue microfibrils. Isolation and characterization of three large pepsin-resistant domains of fibrillin-1. J Biol Chem 1989;264:21381–5.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Benirschke K, Kaufmann P. Pathologyof the human placenta. 2nd ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1990:270–8.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  21. Glanville RW, Qian R-Q, McClure DW, Maslen CL. Calcium binding, hydroxylation and glycosylation of the precursor epidermal growth factor-like domains of fibrillin-1, the Marfan gene protein. J Biol Chem 1994;269:26630–4.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Physiology, Medicine, and Molecular and Medical Genetics, and the University Congenital Heart Research Center, L-466, Oregon Health Sciences University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97201, USA

    Sig-Linda Jacobson MD, Dwight Kimberly MS, Kent Thornburg PhD & Cheryl Maslen PhD

  2. Department of Biology, George Fox College, Newberg, Oregon, USA

    Sig-Linda Jacobson MD, Dwight Kimberly MS, Kent Thornburg PhD & Cheryl Maslen PhD

Authors
  1. Sig-Linda Jacobson MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dwight Kimberly MS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kent Thornburg PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cheryl Maslen PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Supported by the Medical Research Foundation of Oregon, National Institutes of Health no. HD29297, and by Basil O’Conner Research Grant FY 93-0523 from the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jacobson, SL., Kimberly, D., Thornburg, K. et al. Localization of Fibrillin-1 in the Human Term Placenta. Reprod. Sci. 2, 686–690 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1016/1071-5576(95)97405-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/1071-5576(95)97405-6

Key words

Search

Navigation