An ultrastructural study of early chorionic villus formation in the marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus)

Summary The ultrastructural morphology of developing chorionic villi in the marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus) placenta was studied in pregnant monkeys at known time intervals after ovulation. In samples obtained at 45 days after ovulation the mesoderm, which consists of primitive foetal blood vessels, is seen to extend down into cytotrophoblast columns. Syncytiotrophoblast completely surrounds maternal blood vessels and both basal laminae and endothelial cells of maternal origin show signs of disorganisation and degradation. Syncytiotrophoblast is first observed to breach the maternal circulation in samples collected from animals at 60 days after ovulation; this results in discrete haemochorial villi randomly distributed throughout the placental bed. Samples obtained at 80 days after ovulation and term placental samples (145 days after ovulation) exhibit tertiary haemochorial villi throughout the placenta, similar to those seen randomly distributed at 60 days after ovulation.