ABSTRACT
To study the circulating progenitor cells in preeclampsia, 20 patients with preeclampsia, 24 healthy pregnant females in the 3rd trimester and ten nonpregnant healthy age matched females were included in this work. For all subjects, number of circulating progenitor cells, serum level of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor [GM-CSF] and total and absolute leukocytic count were investigated. It was concluded that the number of circulating progenitors decreased in preeclamptic patients due to a decreased production of colony stimulating activity by the diseased placenta. The negative correlation between neutrophil count and number of GM-CFCs showed that other factor[s] could participate in the production of neutrophils in this multi- factorial disease