Biomaterial Database

Localization of transferrin on the surface of the human placenta by electron microscopic immunocytochemistry. 1976

B F King

During the course of gestation, a large amount of iron is transferred rapidly and unidirectionally from mother to fetus across the placenta. It has been postulated that one of the first steps involved in placental iron transfer involves binding of the maternal transferrin-iron complex to the surface of the placenta and the subsequent removal of iron and release of transferrin back into the maternal circulation. To determine if transferrin is present on the surface of human placental villi, two different immunocytochemical methods have been used: (1) an unlabeled antibody, peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method utilizing rabbit antiserum to human transferrin, goat anti-rabbit IgG and rabbit peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex or; (2) a peroxidase-labeled antibody method utilizing goat antiserum to human transferrin and peroxidase-conjugated rabbit anti-goat IgG. The peroxide was then localized by incubation in a diaminobenzidine-hydrogen peroxide medium. Examination of the tissue in the electron microscope revealed the reaction product deposited as discrete patches or particles on the microvillous surface of human syncytial trophoblast. Controls using non-immune serum or an antiserum adsorbed with purified human transferrin showed no reaction product on the surface. The results provide morphological confirmation for the presence of transferrin on the surface of human syncytial trophoblast lining the maternal blood spaces.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007124	Immunoenzyme Techniques	Immunologic techniques based on the use of: (1) enzyme-antibody conjugates; (2) enzyme-antigen conjugates; (3) antienzyme antibody followed by its homologous enzyme; or (4) enzyme-antienzyme complexes. These are used histologically for visualizing or labeling tissue specimens.	Antibody Enzyme Technique, Unlabeled,Enzyme Immunoassay,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Technique,Immunoassay, Enzyme,Immunoperoxidase Techniques,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Technique,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Technique,Antibody Enzyme Technic, Unlabeled,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Technic,Immunoenzyme Technics,Immunoperoxidase Technics,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Technic,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Technic,Antibody Technic, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Technic, Peroxidase-Labeled,Antibody Technics, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Technics, Peroxidase-Labeled,Antibody Technique, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Technique, Peroxidase-Labeled,Antibody Techniques, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Techniques, Peroxidase-Labeled,Enzyme Immunoassays,Enzyme Labeled Antibody Technic,Enzyme Labeled Antibody Technique,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Technics,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Techniques,Immunoassays, Enzyme,Immunoenzyme Technic,Immunoenzyme Technique,Immunoperoxidase Technic,Immunoperoxidase Technique,Peroxidase Antiperoxidase Complex Technic,Peroxidase Antiperoxidase Complex Technique,Peroxidase Labeled Antibody Technic,Peroxidase Labeled Antibody Technique,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Technics,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Techniques,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Technics,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Techniques,Technic, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Technic, Immunoenzyme,Technic, Immunoperoxidase,Technic, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Technic, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody,Technics, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Technics, Immunoenzyme,Technics, Immunoperoxidase,Technics, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Technics, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody,Technique, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Technique, Immunoenzyme,Technique, Immunoperoxidase,Technique, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Technique, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody,Techniques, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Techniques, Immunoenzyme,Techniques, Immunoperoxidase,Techniques, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Techniques, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody
D008431	Maternal-Fetal Exchange	Exchange of substances between the maternal blood and the fetal blood at the PLACENTA via PLACENTAL CIRCULATION. The placental barrier excludes microbial or viral transmission.	Transplacental Exposure,Exchange, Maternal-Fetal,Exposure, Transplacental,Maternal Fetal Exchange
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D010920	Placenta	A highly vascularized mammalian fetal-maternal organ and major site of transport of oxygen, nutrients, and fetal waste products. It includes a fetal portion (CHORIONIC VILLI) derived from TROPHOBLASTS and a maternal portion (DECIDUA) derived from the uterine ENDOMETRIUM. The placenta produces an array of steroid, protein and peptide hormones (PLACENTAL HORMONES).	Placentoma, Normal,Placentome,Placentas,Placentomes
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011955	Receptors, Drug	Proteins that bind specific drugs with high affinity and trigger intracellular changes influencing the behavior of cells. Drug receptors are generally thought to be receptors for some endogenous substance not otherwise specified.	Drug Receptors,Drug Receptor,Receptor, Drug
D002824	Chorionic Villi	Threadlike vascular projections of the chorion. Chorionic villi may be free or embedded within the DECIDUA forming the site for exchange of substances between fetal and maternal blood (PLACENTA).	Placental Villi,Labyrinth of the Placenta,Labyrinthine Placenta,Placental Labyrinth Layer,Chorionic Villus,Labyrinth Layer, Placental,Placental Labyrinth Layers,Placental Villus,Villi, Chorionic,Villi, Placental,Villus, Chorionic,Villus, Placental
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014168	Transferrin	An iron-binding beta1-globulin that is synthesized in the LIVER and secreted into the blood. It plays a central role in the transport of IRON throughout the circulation. A variety of transferrin isoforms exist in humans, including some that are considered markers for specific disease states.	Siderophilin,Isotransferrin,Monoferric Transferrins,Serotransferrin,Transferrin B,Transferrin C,beta 2-Transferrin,beta-1 Metal-Binding Globulin,tau-Transferrin,Globulin, beta-1 Metal-Binding,Metal-Binding Globulin, beta-1,Transferrins, Monoferric,beta 1 Metal Binding Globulin,beta 2 Transferrin,tau Transferrin