The GZ100 series comprises a panel of monoclonal antibodies which seem to be specific for human trophoblast antigens (with the exception of GZ111, which reacts with a number of other tissues). The GZ antibodies show different reaction patterns with different trophoblast cell types. As a panel the GZ antibodies recognize all trophoblast populations (Table 2). Thus these antibodies provide a means to distinguish between trophoblast cells and maternal cells. GZ112 might be used to sort out HLA-class I positive trophoblast cells of the basal plate without blocking the HLA antigenic determinant, since GZ112 is not an anti HLA-class I antibody. At present the antigens detected by the GZ antibodies seem to be proteins, most of them with molecular weights between 50 kD and 80 kD. The function of these antigens is unclear and will be studied in future.

Managing and developing positive customer relationships is a critical factor in the success of a restaurant. In this study, waitresses either asked customers about their satisfaction with the food or service before proposing tea or coffee, or they directly proposed coffee or tea without asking about satisfaction. It was found that the number of customers who ordered coffee/tea was significantly higher when the waitress asked the customers about their satisfaction. The theoretical and practical interest of studying the effect of verbal communication toward customers is discussed.

Estrogen classically is recognized as a growth-promoting hormone. Recent evidence suggests that estrogens are also involved in a wide variety of cellular and physiological functions involving the central nervous system, immune system, cardiovascular system and bone homeostasis. Our studies in cytotrophoblasts and BeWo cells, demonstrated that 17β-estradiol induces terminal differentiation of placental trophoblasts directly and this differentiation is coupled with an increased production of TGFβ1, which, in turn, affects telomerase activity and telomerase associated components at the level of hTERT. Furthermore, using rats treated in vivo with either EDS or estradiol and in vitro Leydig cell cultures, we proposed that 17β-estradiol mediated down-regulation of collagen IV α4 expression could be one of the possible mechanisms for the inhibition of progenitor Leydig cell proliferation. In this review, we summarize the results from both the model systems, the human placental cytotrophoblast and rat Leydig cells to conclude that 17β-estradiol has a unique stage-specific role in differentiation.