Maternal hemodynamics influence fetal hemodynamics in normal and hypertensive pregnancy.

Objectives: This observational case-control study aims to test whether there is a relationship between maternal systemic hemodynamics, maternal renin-angiotensin system and fetal hemodynamics in normal and hypertensive pregnancy.

Study Design: Four groups of non-pregnant women (n=18), pregnant controls (n=25), women with gestational hypertension (n=21) and preeclampsia (n=10) were included.

Main Outcome Measures: Maternal echocardiography parameters, plasma renin and aldosterone were correlated with fetal Doppler parameters in third trimester pregnancy.

Immunocytochemical characterisation of cultures of human bladder mucosal cells.

Background: The functional role of the bladder urothelium has been the focus of much recent research. The bladder mucosa contains two significant cell types: urothelial cells that line the bladder lumen and suburothelial interstitial cells or myofibroblasts. The aims of this study were to culture these cell populations from human bladder biopsies and to perform immunocytochemical characterisation.