The development of the baboon (Papio sp.) placenta during the fetal period of gestation

Baboon placentae ranging in age from 45 to 175 days were studied for progressive changes in their morphology. The baboon embryo implants superficially and develops a single, discoid, villous hemochorial placenta. The remainder of the chorion is membranous and a true decidua capsularis is not formed. A lobular structure is developed during the fetal period. At 45 days the amnion only partially fills the chorionic cavity but by 60 days has expanded and the two membranes are directly contiguous. Trophoblastic tissue is of two types: cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast. Cytotrophoblast is found primarily in the chorionic plate and cytotrophoblastic shell. The chorionic villi are originally composed of a double layer of trophoblast; cytotrophoblast internally and syncytiotrophoblast externally. The cellular layer gradually disappears so that by full‐term the villous walls are formed by a single layer of syncytiotrophoblast. Hofbauer cells are common within the villous cores, diminishing in number toward term. Large amounts of collagenous connective tissue develop in the chorionic plate and in the villi, and fibrin and fibrinoid materials accumulate in the basal plate and anchoring villi. The endometrium is decidualized to its greatest extent by the beginning of the fetal period and undergoes only minor cytological alteration throughout the remainder of gestation.