Figure 4. Macroscopic and histological characteristics of murine placentae from IUGR and normal-weight fetuses in the CBA/CaH × DBA/2J model.

(a) Representative photograph of IUGR (<10^th %) and normal-weight (>10^th %) littermates at 14.5 dpc (left) and 18.5 dpc (right). (b) Placentae weight for IUGR and normal-weight fetuses represented as mean ± SEM. (c) PAS-stained sections of resorptions and placentae from IUGR fetuses (14.5 dpc) were assessed for differences in placental dimensions and the proportion devoted to the labyrinth, trophospongium and maternal decidua. (d) Comparison of normal labyrinthine tissue and areas of thrombotic (dotted line) and fibrotic tissue (asteri; presence of blue/green collagen) from IUGR associated placentae stained with fast-green Masson’s trichrome. (e) PAS-stained sections of placentae from normal-weight fetuses at 14.5 and 18.5 dpc, and (f) a (CBA/CaH × Balb/c) F1 fetuses at 18.5 dpc placentae that has been colour rendered to show the placental layers quantitated in Table 2. (b) **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vs CBA × CBA by One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison test; ^†p < 0.05 vs value for IUGR by unpaired two-tailed Student T test.