Fig. 7.

Effect of hCG on PROKR2 mRNA and protein expression. A Dose–response effect of hCG (12 h) on PROKR2 mRNA expression, measured by qRT-PCR, in syncytiotrophoblast cells. B PROKR2 staining in sections of placental explants that have been cultured in the absence or presence of hCG (10 and 100 IU/ml) at 10 wg. Non-treated explants sections are shown in a and treated explant sections with hCG at 10 IU/ml and (100 IU/ml) are shown in b and c, respectively. Undersized photographs in d, e, and f show tissue sections incubated with pre-immune serum to PROKR2. Cytotrophoblast (Ct), Hofbauer cells (Ho), syncytiotrophoblast (St). Scale bar 50 μm. C Representative Western-blot analysis of PROKR2 expression in syncytiotrophoblast incubated in the absence or presence of hCG (10 IU/ml). D Histograms of the mean relative OD of PROKR2 protein signals normalized to β-actin protein. Data are mean ± SEM (**p < 0.001)