Figure 4: Complete block of branching morphogenesis and labyrinth layer formation in Bcl9l−/− placenta.
From: Identification of a link between Wnt/β-catenin signalling and the cell fusion pathway
(a–j) Haematoxylin and eosin staining of placental sections from E9.5 (a,b) and E10.5 (c,d,i,j) concepti. (a,c,i) Wild-type. (b,d,j) Bcl9l−/−. The boxed areas in panels a––d are shown at higher magnification in panels e–h, respectively. Panels a–h show the central area of the placentas where chorioallantoic attachment occurred. Panels i,j show the lateral area of the placentas where trophoblast giant cells are abundant. (k) Schematic representation of the layered structure of the placenta. The dotted box denotes areas shown in (i,j). Arrowheads, nucleated fetal red blood cells; black arrows, maternal red blood cells; red arrows, fetal blood vessels invading chorionic plate. al, allantois; ch, chorionic plate; gc, trophoblast giant cells; lab, labyrinth layer; md, maternal decidua; sp, spongiotrophoblast. Scale bars, (a,b,e and f) 50 μm; (c,d and g–j) 100 μm.
