Summary
The haemophagous region of the badger (Meles meles L.) placenta is involved in iron transfer, and maternal erythrocytes are the only source of iron for the fetus. This ultrastructural study provides morphological evidence of placental ferritin iron storage intervening if haem-iron uptake exceeds fetal needs. Such placental ferritin is assumed to play an active role in iron transfer regulation. In this paper we demonstrate that this regulatory process of iron transfer by storage in placental ferritin occurs on at least two levels: the cytotrophoblast and the fetal endothelium. The latter could then act as a final monitor in the transfer of iron into the fetal circulation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker E, Morgan EH (1973) Placental iron transfer in the cat. J Physiol 232:485–501
Brown PJ, Johnson PM, Ogbimi AO, Tappin JA (1979) Characterization and localization of human placental ferritin. Biochem J 182:763–769
Burton GJ (1982) Review article. Placental uptake of maternal erythrocytes: a comparative study. Placenta 3:407–434
Burton GJ, Samuel CA, Stevens DH (1976) Ultrastractural studies of the placenta of the ewe: phagocytosis of erythrocytes by the chorionic epithelium at the central depression of the cotyledon. Q J Exp Physiol 61:275–286
Canivenc R, Bonnin M (1981) Environmental control of delayed implantation in the European badger (Meles meles). J Reprod Fertil[Suppl 29]: 25–33
Dumartin B, Canivenc R (1984) Etude ultrastructurale de Perythrophagocytose dans la poche choriale paraplacentaire chez deux Mustélidés: le Blaireau Meles meles L. et le Furet Mustela putorius furo. Arch Biol 95:445–460
Dumartin B, Canivenc R, Joffre J (1976) Modalités du passage du fer à travers le placenta des Mustélidés. CRS Acad Sci Paris, D, 282:1537–1540
Dumartin B, Ribes C, Souloumiac J, Charron G, Canivenc R (1989) Détermination expérimentale de la croissance foetale chez le blaireau européen Meles meles L. Mammalia 53:279–285
Eaton BM, Brown MJ, Contractor SF (1985) Transferrin mediated iron transport in the perfused isolated human placental lobule. Contrib Gynecol Obstet 13:149–150
Hamasaki K, Fujimoto S, Yamamoto K, Okamura Y (1985) Iron-containing granules in the syncytiotrophoblast of the human chorionic villi. Acta Anat 121:194–196
Hausmann K, Wulfhekel U, Düllmann J, Kuse R (1976) Iron storage in macrophages and endothelial cells. Histochemistry, ultrastructure and clinical significance. Blut 32:289–295
King BF, Enders AC, Wimsatt WA (1978) The annular hematoma of the Shrew Yolk-Sac placenta. Am J Anat 152:45–58
Lamparelli RDV, Friedman BM, Mac Phail AP, Bothwell TH, Phillips JI, Baynes RD (1989) The fate of intravenously injected tissue ferritin in pregnant Guinea-pig. Brit J Haematol 72:100–105
Leiser R, Enders AC (1980) Light and electron microscopic study of the near-term paraplacenta of the domestic cat. II. Paraplacental hematoma. Acta Anat 106:312–326
Malassiné A (1977) Etude ultrastructurale du paraplacenta de chatte: mécanisme de l'érythrophagocytose par la cellule chorionique. Anat Embryol 151:267–283
Malassiné A (1982) Scanning and electron-microscopic observations of the “haemophagous organ” of the cat placenta. Bibl Anat [Acta Anat Suppl] 22:108–116
Myagkaya GL, De Bruijn WC (1982) Ferritin in chorionic villi of the sheep placenta. Bibl Anat 22:117–122
Myagkaya GL, Schellens JPM (1981) Final stages of erythrophagocytosis in the sheep placenta. Cell Tissue Res 214:501–518
Myagkaya G, Vreeling-Sindelarova H (1976) Erythrophagocytosis by cells of the trophoblastic epithelium of the sheep placenta in different stages of gestation. Acta Anat 95:234–248
Myagkaya G, Schellens JPM, Vreeling-Sindelarova H (1979) Lysosomal breakdown of erythrocytes in the sheep placenta. An ultrastructural study. Cell Tissue Res 197:79–94
Myagkaya GL, Schornagel K, Van Veen H, Everts V (1984) Electron microscopic study of the localization of ferric iron in chorionic epithelium of the Sheep placenta. Placenta 5:551–558
Okuyama T, Tawada T, Furuya H, Villee CA (1985) The role of tranferrin and ferritin in the fetal maternal placental unit. Am J Obstet Gynecol 152:344–350
Parmley RT, Barton JC, Conrad ME (1981) Ultrastructural, cytochemical and radioautographic localization of placental iron. Am J Pathol 105:10–20
Sasaki K (1990) Three-dimensional analysis of erythrophagosomes in rat mesenteric lymph node macrophages. Am J Anat 188:373–380
Seal US, Sinha AA, Doe RP (1972) Placental iron transfer: relationship to placental anatomy and phylogeny of the mammals. Am J Anat 134 (2):263–269
Simon GT, Burke JS (1970) Electron microscopy of the spleen. III. Erythro-leukophagocytosis. Am J Pathol 58:451–469
Sinha AA, Erickson AW (1974) Ultrastructure of the placenta of antartic seals during the first third of pregnancy. Am J Anat 141:263–280
Vanderpuye OA, Kelley LK, Smith CH (1986) Transferrin receptors in the basal plasma membrane of the human placental syncytiotrophoblast. Placenta 7:391–403
Van Dijk JP (1988) Review article: Regulatory aspects of placental iron transfer — a comparative study. Placenta 9:215–226
Van Dijk JP, Van Kreel BK, Heeren JWA (1966) A study of the relationship between placental non-haem iron and iron transfer in the Guinea pig: the maturation of the transfer process. J Dev Physiol 8:347–354
Zeligs JD (1977) Ultrastructure of the degradation of erythrocytes by thyroid epithelial cells in vivo. Am J Pathol 89:85–104
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dumartin, B., Canivenc, R. Placental iron transfer regulation in the haemophagous region of the badger placenta: ultrastructural localization of ferritin in trophoblast and endothelial cells. Anat Embryol 185, 175–179 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00185919
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00185919