Differential Activation of Fetal Hofbauer Cells in Primigravidas Is Associated with Decreased Birth Weight in Symptomatic Placental Malaria

Figure 2

Hemozoin (HZ) localization within CD68+ Hofbauer cells (HBCs) and maternal intervillous macrophages of control and placental malaria (PM) samples. (a)-(c) Control placentas were stained with CD68, a monocyte/macrophage marker, and evaluated with light microscopy (a, b) and under polarized light filter (c) to assess for the presence of HZ crystals. There was no evidence of P. falciparum infection nor HZ in controls. (d)-(h) PM cases stained with CD68 demonstrated HZ localization within fetal HBCs (in the villous core, pink arrows) and maternal intervillous macrophages (MIM, within the intervillous space, green arrows). STB: syncytiotrophoblast, IVS: intervillous space, HBC: Hofbauer cell, MIM: maternal intervillous macrophage.