Figure 5.

Spatial distribution of dNK subsets at the feto-maternal interface at early pregnancy

A. A representative immunohistochemistry image for CK7 (brown), labeling trophoblasts and uterine gland epithelium in a paraffin section of the feto-maternal interface at gestational week 7. Spongiosa, decidual spongiosa; Compacta, decidual compacta. B. Representative immunofluorescent images of sections adjacent to the section in panel A, showing the distribution of dNK1 cells (CD56⁺CD39⁺; white arrows) at the feto-maternal interface. C. Representative immunofluorescent images of sections adjacent to the section in panel A, showing the distribution of dNK3 cells (CD56⁺CD103⁺; white arrows) at the feto-maternal interface. In both panels, boxed areas from different regions of the feto-maternal interface on the left (scale bar, 100 μm) are zoomed in and shown in the middle (scale bar, 25 μm), and boxed areas in the middle are further zoomed in and shown on the right (scale bar, 10 μm). D. Representative immunofluorescent images showing the distribution of dNK4 cells (CD16⁺ PLAC8⁺; white arrows) in decidual compacta from Ctrl (top) and RM (bottom) pregnancies. Dotted lines indicate the position of uterine blood vessels. Scale bar, 25 μm.