INVESTIGATION OF PLACENTAL HOFBAUER CELLS BY IMMUNOHISTCHEMSTRY METHODS IN COMPLICATED PREGNANCIES

Development of placenta without any complication is essential for normal pregnancy. Placenta is a multifunctional organ that plays a vital role in fetal development. Hofbauer cells are one of the most important groups of placental cells. These cells are placental macrophages and have a role in many placental events. The aim of this study is to investigate the placental distribution and density of Hofbauer cells and to contribute to the understanding of the causes and pathogenesis of complicated pregnancies. In this study, 60 full-term placentas were divided into 4 equal groups: control, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and HELLP group. Placenta were dissected and the samples were fixed 10% neutral buffered formalin. Following routine paraffin wax procedure, 5 µm sections were stained with CD68 for marking Hofbauer cells. In immunohistochemical evaluation, Hofbauer cells in villous stroma showed positive CD68 expression. Immunostaining Findings: CD68 showed a granular staining pattern in the cytoplasm of Hofbauer cells. The group with the highest CD68 positive cell number was HELLP group and the number of cells per cell (1.46 ± 0.25) was significantly different from all groups. CD68 positive cell count in the placental villus were the highest in HELLP group and the number of Hofbauer cells per villus was significantly different from the other groups.