[Pathology of placenta of rats induced by fatty acid deficiency].

Lipids are important cell components, both from the structural and the functional point of view. Besides, they intervene in transporting functions, cell recognition and immunity. Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) are important for the functional and structural maintenance of animal organisms. In our laboratory, it was demonstrated that one group of pregnant rats fed on an EFA deficient diet, and other group of rats fed on the same diet but with 5% of corn oil (rich in linoleic acid) showed alterations on the development of the metrial gland. In the present work, 57 female rats of a Wistar strain were fed since weaning with one of the following diets: EFAD: deficient in essential fatty acids, COD: EFAD + 5% corn oil (linoleic acid sufficient but alpha-linoleic acid deficient); SAD: EFAD + 5% soy oil (both EFA sufficient) and CD: commercial diet. After 3 months the animals were sacrificed on the 13 th. day of gestation. Uteru's horns were dissected and the implantation sities were fixed on formol and embebbed in parafin. The observations were carried out with H/E coloured cross-sections and the corialantoidea placenta, the cities of implantations and the sitios of reabsortions were studied. The metrial gland of DAGE and DAM rats presented structural modifications compared to DC rats. The most relevant findings were: indifferentiation of the granulated metrial gland cells and an increase in the amount of connective tissue. In DAS rats, on the contrary, the aspect of the metrial gland was similar to the observed in the DC group. In the DAGE and the DAM groups Labyrinthium was enlarged with vascular septum group. Mean while DAS was similar to group DC (thin and vascular). Differences in the cities of implantations and reabsortions were not detected. The present results suggest that alpha-linolenico acid is essential for the rat placenta to reach normal development.