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. 2003 May;23(10):3566–3574. doi: 10.1128/MCB.23.10.3566-3574.2003

FIG. 4.

FIG. 4.

Expression of the HERV-W Env glycoprotein at the surface membrane of primary trophoblasts. The cocultivation of primary cytotrophoblasts (T) with XC (top) indicator cells induced the formation of homotypic syncytia (f-T) after 72 h of culture. These syncytia contained only cytotrophoblast nuclei; no XC nuclei were associated with the fusion event (nf-XC). Conversely, the cocultivation of primary cytotrophoblasts with XC-RDR+ (bottom) indicator cells induced the formation of heterotypic syncytia (f-T/XC) containing both cytotrophoblast and XC nuclei, showing that the RDR-dependent fusogenic HERV-W Env glycoprotein was expressed at the surface membrane of primary cytotrophoblasts. Anti-β-galactosidase antibody specifically indicated the XC cell nuclei and antidesmoplakin antibody specifically indicated the syncytiotrophoblasts. Nuclei of both cell types were labeled by DAPI (blue immunofluorescence).