Morphology and Immunoexpression of Selenoproteins in Term Placenta of Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) from the Peruvian Andes

• Autores: Navarrete Zamora, Miluska Beatriz; Acuña, Francisco; Duarte da Silva, Mônica; Santos-Silva, Thamires; Garcia, Matheus Henrique Herminio; Da Silva Nunes Barreto, Rodrigo; Sato Sato, Alberto; Barbeito, Claudio Gustavo; Miglino, Maria Angelica
• Año de publicación: 2025
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: Ciencias Veterinarias; camelids; extreme environments; fetus; selenium; placenta
• Institución: Universidad Nacional de La Plata

South American camelids inhabit high-altitude environments characterized by hypoxia, influencing embryonic, fetal, and placental development. This study examined the term placenta morphology of alpacas (Vicugna pacos, N = 12) and the immunoexpression of antioxidant selenoproteins (SP). We hypothesize that the placenta of alpacas, adapted to high altitudes, has characteristics with other species also adapted to altitude. Placentas were paraffin-embedded, sectioned (3–5 μm), stained with hematoxylin–eosin (H&E), Masson’s trichrome, and picrosirius red, and analyzed via light and polarized light microscopy. The chorion showed simple cuboidal epithelium with binucleated cells, a subepithelial mesenchyme rich in blood capillaries (area: 124.90 ± 9.82 μm2), and type III collagen fibers. The chorionic villi measured 2740.22 ± 132.75 μm. The allantois contained a simple columnar epithelium and mesenchyme with type I collagen fibers. Immunohistochemistry localized SP-N, SP-P, Dio-3, and GPx-3 in the blood capillaries and mesenchymal tissue of the chorion but not in the allantois. These findings were compared to human and sheep placentas from different altitudes due to a lack of camelid data at low levels. The morphological features resembled adaptations to hypoxia observed in other species. This preliminary study suggests a potential role for selenoproteins in hypoxia adaptation, providing a basis for future functional studies.
Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias