Histochemistry of placenta: deeper understanding of molecular processes, having possible impact on the physical development of fetus

There still remains a significant portion of clinical cases, unexplained after clinical investigation and routine pathological examination of placenta; therefore clinical specialists are looking for additional ways of disclosure of hidden processes in pregnancy. One of such possible ways is immunohistochemistry, detecting molecular markers of placental changes. In the present study the correlation between growth factors, their receptors, as well as apoptosis in the placental tissues and the anthropometrical parameters of the child was researched. The expression between fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-b) showed statistically significant positive correlation. The expression of FGF-b had a weak non-significant correlation with gestational age; the expression of FGFR1 had a similar negative correlation with the body mass index (BMI). The results showed statistically significant negative correlation between apoptotic cells and some anthropometric values of the newborn - the length, the head and chest circumference. There was a weak and non-significant correlation between the body weight and the BMI. We concluded that immunohistochemistry can reveal the factors, e.g. vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) having common impact on the anthropological parameters of fetus as well as local factors (apoptosis, FGF-b, FGFR), influencing mainly the growth and the development of placenta itself.