Comparative morphological features of the placental barrier and localization of estrogen receptors a in the placenta of cows and buffaloes [electronic resource].

Includes reference.

The present study was conducted to identify the morphological characteristics of the placental barrier and localization of estrogen receptors a in the cow and buffalo placentas. Placentomes were collected from 3 pregnant cows and 3 pregnant buffaloes at the 5th and (Jh months of gestation respectively. The placentomes were fixed by using 10% neutral buffered formalin for immunohistochimestry and were post fixed in 3% g1utara1dehyde for light microscopy. Indirect immunoperoxidase staining methods using monoclonal antibody against bovine ERa as primary antibody was applied. The morphometric data were obtained by using Q500 Me Image processing and analysis program. Histological examination revealed that there is a great similarity in the structure of the placental barrier of cows and buffaloes, whereas typical six slayers of tissue were seen separating the fetal blood from the maternal one. These layers were matemal endotheliwn. thin layer of maternal connective tissue, maternal uterine epithelial cells, fetal1rophoblast cells, fetal connective tissue and fetal endothelium. Nuclear immunoreactivities occurred mainly in the matemal crypt epithelium and matemal connective tissue cells. In about 1000 maternal uterine crypta1 cells, 87.6% were positive cells for ERa. in the cow placenta and about 67.8% were positive cells in the buffalo placenta. The present study concluded that although there is a great similarity in the structure of the placenta1 barrier and expression of ERa in the placentas of cows and buffaloes interbreeding between the two species is impossible due to the different number of chromosomes set. The placenta ofcows seems to be less responsive to estrogen in comparison to that ofbuffaloes.

Summary in Arabic.