Despite being immortalized, HTR-8/SVneo cells have retained all the phenotypic and functional characteristics

of the parental Microbiology inhibitor mortal HTR-8 cells. The expressing markers of EVCT in situ are cytokeratins 18 and 8, human placental lactogen (hPL), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) and type IV collagenase. Meanwhile, another immortalized primary cell clone (HPT-8) exhibited cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 18, vimentin, cluster of differentiation antigen 9, epidermal growth factor receptor, stromal cell-derived factor 1 and placental alkaline phosphatase. They secreted prolactin, oestradiol, progesterone and hCG and were positive for HLA-G, a marker of extravillous trophoblasts.[14] These cells are permissive for the full replication cycle of human cytomegalovirus.[15, 16] These features make HTR-8/SVneo and HPT-8 cells as an ideal in vitro model for studying the biology of normal trophoblasts. Between October 2005 and January 2009, we recruited women who underwent induced abortion or experienced spontaneous abortion at Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital. All of the women were asked about the number of previous CHIR-99021 manufacturer miscarriages, the number of stillbirths and the total number of previous pregnancies, and had placental villi and blood samples drawn. The same questionnaire was translated into the native

languages of the women and was used with participants from Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital. The study included participants born in the same country who were all over 18 years of age. Women (n = 30) who had a previous history of spontaneous abortion, that is, (i) a history of two or more consecutive spontaneous abortions in the first trimester and (ii) an unexplained aetiology of spontaneous abortion with unexplained vaginal bleeding at 6-8 weeks of gestation, and for whom pregnancy

loss was confirmed by ultrasound scan were considered part of the spontaneous abortion group. Their average age was 28.8 years, and the average gestational age was 56.4 days. These subjects were age- and sex-matched Forskolin in vivo with 30 apparently healthy pregnant women who had no abnormal gynaecological history at 6–8 weeks of gestation and who wanted to have an induced abortion (control group). Their average age was 27.8 years, and the average gestational age was 56.6 days. These women voluntarily sought abortions for family planning purposes. Live pregnancy was confirmed by ultrasound scan. All of the women had regular menstrual cycles, and the gestational age estimates based on the last menstrual period was confirmed by the ultrasound scan. Termination of pregnancy was surgically achieved by vacuum suction as approved by the Ethical Committee of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in Nanjing.