Histomorphometric comparison of the gravid and non-gravid uterus at the time of birth in the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii): insights into the embryo-maternal interface

Marie K. Muenzenberger; Karl Klisch; Brandon R. Menzies; Juliane Rieger; Sabine Kaessmeyer; Barbara Drews

doi:10.1071/RD24118

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Previous Contents Vol 37(8)

Histomorphometric comparison of the gravid and non-gravid uterus at the time of birth in the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii): insights into the embryo-maternal interface

Marie K. Muenzenberger

^A ^* , Karl Klisch ^A , Brandon R. Menzies

^B , Juliane Rieger ^C , Sabine Kaessmeyer ^A and Barbara Drews ^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health, Division of Veterinary Anatomy, Vetsuisse Faculty Bern, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 120, Bern 3012, Switzerland.

^B School of Bioscience, Faculty of Science G31, Biosciences 4, Royal Parade, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic 3010, Australia.

^C Institute of Translational Medicine for Health Care Systems, Department of Human Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

^* Correspondence to: katrin.muenzenberger@unibe.ch

Handling Editor: Andrew Pask

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 37, RD24118 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD24118

Submitted: 30 July 2024 Accepted: 25 March 2025 Published online: 5 May 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

Tammar wallabies have a very short gestation which does not exceed the length of the estrus cycle. Direct contact between embryo and mother is established via a short-lived yolk sac placenta only in the last third of gestation. Therefore, an efficient embryo-maternal interface is required to ensure rapid embryonic growth. However, the morphology of the placenta at the time of birth is not well described in marsupials.

Aims

To study the morphology of the embryo-maternal interface, to compare the gravid and the non-gravid uterus at the time of birth and to examine the presence of polyploid trophoblast cells.

Methods

Histomorphometrical analysis of the uteri from light microscopic images. Quantification of the endometrial vascularization in samples stained with CD31 using AI machine learning. DNA content estimations of the giant trophoblast cell nuclei by Feulgen Image Analysis Densitometry.

Key results

In histological sections of the gravid endometrium, more tissue area was occupied by blood vessels than in the non-gravid endometrium, with subepithelial capillaries making up one-fourth of the vessel area in the gravid endometrium. The gravid uterus exhibited a 2.75-fold increase in surface area due to winding folds. Polyploidy of the giant trophoblast cells was confirmed. Giant trophoblast cells showed signs of degeneration.

Conclusions

The adaptations of the gravid uterus and the polyploidy of the trophoblast cells ensure sufficient embryo-maternal exchange. However, they seem to be self-limiting.

Implications

Morphology of the tammar wallaby trophoblast and endometrium prior birth is optimized for rapid embryonic growth during the brief interaction between maternal and fetal cells but the placenta seemingly cannot persist after the designated due time.

Keywords: endometrial gland, endometrium, marsupial, morphology, placenta, trophoblast, uterus, yolk sac.

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