ABSTRACT
In recent years, concerns have been raised about human reproductive disorders. A variety of physiological adaptations are required to create an environment for optimal fetal development during pregnancy. The widespread consumption of CCl4 by pregnant women proposes that it is necessary to determine if CCl4, would influence maternal physiology and development of the fetus during pregnancy. The placenta is a crucial organ that allows for the interchange of nutrients, gases, and waste products between the growing fetus and the mother's blood supply. The complex process of placenta development includes a number of molecular, cellular, and physiological alterations. The aim of this study was to assess the development of placenta following intrauterine exposure to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in Pregnant Wistar rats . In this study, forty (40) adult Wistar rats weighing between 170 g and 180 g was used. The animals were bred at the Animal House, Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria and kept in polypropylene cages under room temperature with 12 hours' light and dark cycle and fed with pelleted feed and clean tap water. The animals were paired overnight at estrous cycle with sexually active males in the ratio of 2:1. Estrous cycles were confirmed by vaginal lavage. The presence of vaginal plug and/or sperm in the vaginal smear was GDO. The pregnant rats were divided into two groups (A and B) with Twenty (20) rats per group. Group A served as Control and administered with single intra-peritoneal injection of 2ml of olive oil on GD 11, in addition to free access to feed and water. Group B served as the treated group and was administered with single intra-peritoneal injection of 2ml of CCl4/olive oil (1:1 volume for volume) on GD11. On each gestational day (GD13, GD15, GD17 and GD19), five (5) animals were sampled from each group and their placentas harvested for histological assessment. Histological studies showed varying alterations in the histomorphology of the placenta ranging from delayed differentiation of glycogen cells, dilated and congested blood vessels, vacuolar degeneration of glycogen cells islands, poor development of the labyrinth zone and dilated fetal capillaries. In conclusion there is histomorphological evidence that CCl4 administration has deleterious effects on the development of the placenta in Wistar rats.
