Expression of adhesion molecules by endovascular trophoblast and decidual endothelial cells: implications for vascular invasion during implantation.

During the process of implantation, maternal spiral arteries within the decidua are invaded by trophoblast cells that adhere to and migrate along the luminal surface of the vascular endothelial cells. This phenomenon resembles the events that occur during the migration of neutrophils into an acute inflammatory site, therefore it is possible that similar mechanisms are involved. Indeed, previous observations have shown that endovascular trophoblast expresses the blood group-related antigen sialyl Le(x).

Expression of integrins by human trophoblast and differential adhesion to laminin or fibronectin.

The process of placental implantation involves a series of transformations of trophoblast from a single polarized epithelial layer resting on a basement membrane (villous trophoblast), to cellular aggregates (trophoblast columns) which ultimately disperse to invade uterine decidua as individual cells (interstitial trophoblast). Such tissue re-modelling is associated with changes in the constituents of the extracellular matrix and in the expression of matrix receptors by the cells, the most relevant being the family of integrins which bind to laminin and fibronectin. In this study we show, by immunohistology and flow cytometry, a gradual loss of laminin receptors with the concomitant acquisition of fibronectin receptors as trophoblast is transformed from the villous phenotype, through the cell columns, into the extravillous population.

Expression of adhesion molecules by human decidual large granular lymphocytes.

This study has examined the expression of adhesion molecules by uterine-specific CD56bright CD16-CD3- large granular lymphocytes using flow cytometry and immunohistology. Data are compared with those obtained after IL-2 stimulation and with peripheral blood CD56+ cells. We have found that decidual CD56bright cells strongly express three fibronectin receptors, alpha 4 beta 1, alpha 5 beta 1, and alpha 4 beta 7.

Biofeedback, humanistic psychology and psychosomatics in family practice.

An innovative educational approach to psychosomatic illness in family practice has been developed. It is a synthesis of experiential methods of non-verbal communication and creativity training developed from psychotronic applications of biofeedback, humanistic psychology and eidetics. The methodology, called eidetic biofeedback, operates on non-traditional models of human potential and involves a holistic approach to the mind-body/environment relationship.