The aim of this
work was to analyze the
cell proliferation and
apoptosis indexes on the 18th and 21st days of
pregnancy of diabetic
rats and to correlate with maternal glycemia and perinatal outcomes.
Placentas from 20
Wistar rats were collected and divided into four experimental groups control and diabetic of 18 and 21 days of
pregnancy. The
cell proliferation was analyzed using the
PCNA expression and
apoptosis by the
TUNEL method. It was observed that
PCNA and
TUNEL indexes decreased from day 18 to 21 of
pregnancy in the
placentas of diabetic
rats and these values were lower than
control groups. Diabetic
dams presented higher percentage of small for
pregnancy age (SPA)
fetuses. However, there was no difference between the
PCNA and
TUNEL indexes in SPA and N-SPA
fetuses in all the groups and these indexes were not correlated to maternal glycemic. Thus, placental
cell proliferation and
apoptosis did not interfere in the
intrauterine growth restriction.