Figure 5.

CMV infection in naturally infected and Merlin-infected placental tissue results in the upregulation and re-localization of key SHH proteins. Naturally infected clinical placentae, Merlin-infected ex vivo placental explants or uninfected clinical placentae and placental explants stained for CMV immediate early/early protein (IE/E) and Gli2, Rb, Ulk3 and Shh proteins. Representative images of clinical placentae derived from 22-week gestational age placental tissue matched for gestational age control or placental villous explant histocultures from term placentae. The white arrows indicate infected cells of interest in each panel.