Tissue Plasminogen Activator in the Human Fetal Membranes and Decidua at the Preterm and Term

The objective of this honors thesis was to show the cellular localization and quantitation of the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) messenger RNA (mRNA) and localization of its protein, as well as that of its binding protein (annexin II) in the human fetal membranes. This was carried out on fetal membranes collected at different times of gestation, both before and after labor and delivery as follows: Preterm, defined as 28-37 weeks gestation, (1) Cesarean section (no labor rupture of the membranes), (2) labor occurring before rupture of the membranes (PTL), (3) premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) before the onset of labor. Term (1) Cesarean section (no labor/no rupture), (2) normal spontaneous labor and delivery (TL). This project was designed to provide some insight into the role of tPA in the human fetal membranes as it relates to matrix structure and collagen degradation over parturition at preterm and term