A scanning electron microscopy study of interactions between mouse granulated metrial gland cells and placental trophoblast cells in vitro.

Mouse granulated metrial gland cells were cocultured with labyrinthine placental cells and cell-cell contacts examined by scanning electron microscopy. Intimate contacts between granulated metrial gland cells and placental cells were observed and in some of these, differences in the surface morphology of the granulated metrial gland cells were observed. Some contact areas were suggestive of the granulated metrial gland cell monitoring the surface of potential target placental trophoblast cells prior to lysis.