Abstract:
Preeclampsia is a potentially life threatening disorder of pregnancy which presents with raised blood pressure and proteinuria after twentieth week of gestation. It is one of the leading and mystical causes of maternal and fetal mortality worldwide. Abnormal placentation is suggested to be possibly the key feature of this disorder. Preeclampsia has been attributed to the presence of a circulating 'toxin' soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) in maternal blood. sFlt-1 is normally produced and secreted by the placenta, however the presence, nature and effects of this toxin on trophoblast cells are not clearly understood. The binding of sFlt-1 with free Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in maternal circulation and the subsequent effects of this on trophoblast cell proliferation are not fully known.

Keywords:sFlt-1, anti-angiogenic factors, VEGF, preeclampsia, maternal serum, JAR cells, cytotoxicity