1. Regulation of natural-killer cell cytotoxicity and enhancement of complement factors in the spontaneously aborted mouse placenta 
Ken Kusakabe, D.V.M., Ph.D., Mayumi Naka, M.D., Yuko Ito, Ph.D., Nabil Eid, M.D., Ph.D., Yoshinori Otsuki, M.D., Ph.D. 
Fertility and Sterility 
Volume 90, Issue 4, Pages (October 2008)
DOI: /j.fertnstert
Copyright © 2008 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions

2. Figure 1
(A, B) Few normal sites showed positive reaction for TUNEL (A), except for some fetal nuclear erythrocytes (arrows), whereas at abortion sites (B), TUNEL-positive reactions clearly were observed at trophoblasts in the labyrinthine zone. (C, D) Electron micrographs of the labyrinthine zone. In the normal labyrinthine zone (C), the placental barrier, which is composed of microvilli-possessing cytotrophoblasts (arrow) and binuclear syncytiotrophoblasts (arrowhead), separates the fetal capillaries and maternal blood sinuses. At abortion sites (D), the placental barrier was mortally destroyed, and trophoblasts showed degenerative features of chromatin-condensed nuclei and shrinkage of cell size. Disruption of the cell membrane and leakage of cytoplasmic granules and vesicles also were noted. (E, F) Some cytoplasmic granules in abortion trophoblasts showed ACPase activity and formed a multivesicular lysosome (E, arrowhead). The percentage of trophoblasts with ACPase-positive granules was significantly higher at abortion sites compared with normal sites (F, ∗P<.01). Bar = 1 μm.
Fertility and Sterility  , DOI: ( /j.fertnstert )
Copyright © 2008 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions

3. Figure 2
(A–C) Appearance of uterine NK cells in the area of the decidua basalis (DB) and junctional zone (JZ) on day 14 of pregnancy. PAS–positive uterine NK cells were seen at the loose decidua basalis (A, arrows). At abortion sites, uterine NK cells were confirmed in degenerative areas of the DB and JZ (B, arrows), and cell density of uterine NK cells was higher at abortion sites than at normal sites on day 14 of pregnancy (C, ∗P<.05). However, most of the uterine NK cells at abortion sites showed apoptosis-like changes, such as nuclear condensation and cell shrinkage (B, arrowheads). The maternal vessel (MV) includes a number of neutrophils (B). (D) RT–PCR analysis of implantation sites on day 14 showed very low expression of cytotoxic factors and IL-2 receptor at abortion sites, in contrast to normal sites. (E, F) RT–PCR analysis of the expression of H-2–type MHC-class I antigen and Ly49 receptors at implantation sites on day 14. A distinct difference in the expression level of H-2Kb between normal and abortion sites was not apparent, but the Ly49C level increased significantly at abortion sites (∗P<.05). The expression level of Ly49A was very low at both sites. GAPDH = glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.
Fertility and Sterility  , DOI: ( /j.fertnstert )
Copyright © 2008 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions

4. Figure 3
Immunohistochemistry for adipsin and complement C3 at normal (A, B) and abortion sites (C, D). A weak reaction for adipsin was detected in labyrinthine trophoblasts at normal sites (A). At abortion sites, a positive reaction for adipsin was enhanced in trophoblasts in the junctional and labyrinth zones along the lumen side of maternal sinusoids (C). Positive reaction for complement C3 was very low at normal sites (B) and clearly increased at abortion sites (D), especially in trophoblast giant cells.
Fertility and Sterility  , DOI: ( /j.fertnstert )
Copyright © 2008 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions