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. 2004 Mar 25;101(14):4978–4983. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0401124101

Fig. 4.

Fig. 4.

AF macrophages of fetal origin invade the maternal uterus near term. (A) AF macrophages are fetal in origin. β-gal staining was detected in cytoplasmic vacuoles of macrophages isolated from AF surrounding Lac-Z embryos at 17 dpc. (B) Cells of fetal origin infiltrate the maternal uterus near term. β-gal staining was detected in uteri of wild-type mice carrying Lac-Z embryos at 17 dpc (Left). Uteri from wild-type mice carrying wild-type pups were negative (Right). (C) Macrophages of fetal origin infiltrate the maternal uterus. Immunohistochemical analysis of serial sections of uteri from 17 dpc mice carrying Lac-Z embryos revealed that β-gal-expressing cells are immunopositive for F4/80. (D) β-gal and F4/80 colocalize in uterine cells. Dual immunofluorescence of uteri from 17 dpc mice carrying Lac-Z embryos revealed colocalization of β-gal and F4/80. (E) Cells of fetal origin infiltrate the maternal uterus in increasing numbers toward term. β-gal-expressing cells were first detectable in uteri of the wild-type ICR females carrying Lac-Z embryos at 17 dpc and increased to term. (F) SP-A injection into all amniotic sacs of one uterine horn on 15 dpc mice increases infiltration of fetal cells into the maternal uterus. Fifteen dpc mice carrying Lac-Z embryos were i.a. injected with SP-A or vehicle (Control). Postsurgery (4.5 h), the injected (inj) and noninjected (non inj) uterine horns were assayed for β-gal-positive cells.