A placenta for life Reproductive BioMedicine Online Rosalind John, Myriam Hemberger Reproductive BioMedicine Online Volume 25, Issue 1, Pages 5-11 (July 2012) DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2012.03.018 Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Terms and Conditions
Figure 1 The placenta as a signalling organ. The placenta is not a simple transportation device exchanging nutrients for waste but a super endocrine organ that floods the maternal system with factors to induce the changes required for a healthy pregnancy. The placenta can also signal to the fetus, in particular to regulate fetal growth and development of the fetal brain. These functions are widely conserved between mice and humans. Optimal fetal growth is critical for later life health. Consequently aberrant placental development can result in maternal pregnancy complications and low birthweight, and also programme adult-onset diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Reproductive BioMedicine Online 2012 25, 5-11DOI: (10.1016/j.rbmo.2012.03.018) Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Terms and Conditions
Figure 2 Cell types in the mouse placenta. Reproductive BioMedicine Online 2012 25, 5-11DOI: (10.1016/j.rbmo.2012.03.018) Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Terms and Conditions