Collagen types I, III and IV in the placentome and interplacentomal maternal and fetal tissues in normal cows and in cattle with retention of fetal membranes.

The increase in uterine mass during pregnancy requires the establishment of sufficient blood supply to and strong supportive elements within the uterus. These needs are correlated with the remodelling and production of ECM materials. Therefore, placentomes and interplacentomal parts of the uterine walls and adherent allantochorion were collected from 45 cows at slaughter. Additional placentomes were obtained from 5 cows at premature cesarean section and at term in 5 cows releasing their fetal membranes in time or in 5 animals with retention of the fetal membranes, i.e. in total 60 pregnancies. Unfixed cryostat sections from 4 animals per month of pregnancy and 5 animals per peripartal group (in total 51 pregnancies) were used to immunolocalize collagen types I, III, and IV by an indirect FITC method. Collagen types I and III co-localize within the uterus. The tensile strength of the pregnant uterus is mainly represented by high contents of collagen type I within the allantochorion and subepithelial endometrial and subserosal meshes. Chorionic villi are fixed within caruncular crypts by two mechanisms: crypt openings are narrow and supplied with thick edges containing collagen types I and III. Collagen type IV contributes to all basement membranes and encloses connective tissue cells within the maternal crypt stroma, the stratum compactum and the perimetrial connective tissue. At term, fetal membranes and placentomes are edematous and at the light-microscopic level no distinct differences are visible between connective tissue fibers of placentomes from animals retaining the fetal membranes and those releasing them in time. In conclusion, collagen types I, III and IV exhibit type- and location-specific distribution patterns within the uterus of the pregnant cow. These may additionally be influenced by the stage of pregnancy, thus reflecting the dynamic processes at the stromal level. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel