BEWO Cells

BeWo cells, a cell line derived from malignant gestational choriocarcinoma of the fetal male placenta, have become a widely used in vitro model for studying the placenta.
The cell-cell fusion during the human trophoblast syncytialization phase during placental development is one of the most significant yet least understood events. Due to the difficulty of studying this process in a placenta in vivo, BeWo cells are utilized as a cell culture model to simulate in vivo syncytialization of the placental villous trophoblast.
These cells exhibit an epithelial-like phenotype and are adherent. The b30 subclone of BeWo cells is particularly useful for studying nutrient uptake and transport due to its dense growth on permeable membranes.
CK 7 and E-cadherin are molecular markers that are expressed by BeWo cells. VE-cadherin is found in BeWo cells and is enhanced upon treatment with forskolin. The cells also express keratin and are positive for G6PD, B isoenzyme. The karyotype of BeWo cells is modal number = 86, with a range of 71 to 178, and the stemline number is hypotetraploid.
The karyotype is relatively stable within the stemline number. BeWo cells secrete various hormones, including human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), human chorionic somatomammotropin (placental lactogen), and steroid hormones as estrone, estriol, and estradiol.
However, the levels of β-hCG and estradiol secreted by BeWo cells are lower than those secreted by other choriocarcinoma-derived cell lines such as JEG-3. Upon Forskolin treatment, the secretion of β-hCG in BeWo cells increases to a level similar to that observed in the other choriocarcinoma-derived cell lines. Furthermore, Forskolin treatment also increases the progesterone levels secreted by BeWo cells.
In summary, BeWo cells are a widely used in vitro model for studying placental development and the human trophoblast syncytialization process. They exhibit an epithelial-like phenotype, express various molecular markers, and secrete multiple hormones, including hCG, placental lactogen, and steroid hormones. Overall, BeWo cells are a valuable tool for investigating the complex processes involved in placental development.