The first moments of pregnancy, in which the embryo is correctly implanted in the placenta and forms a bond with the mother, are very complex and complicated. If something fails in this first phase or placental dysfunction occurs, the consequences for the development of pregnancy They are immediate.
After decades of study, a group of scientists from the University of Cambridge has achieved grow in a mini-placentas laboratory at an early stage, which will help researchers to know more about the functioning of this fascinating organ.
Miniature functional models of the early placenta
The research, which has been published entirely by the journal Nature, began more than thirty years ago, when scientists from the Departments of Pathology and Physiology, and Development and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, they began studying cell processes in the first weeks of pregnancy.
Through a complex mechanism, they managed to isolate a type of placental cell called trophoblast, which is formed during the first stage of pregnancy and has the mission of providing nutrients to the embryo.
In Babies and more What is the placentaThis technique, combined with the organoid culture system (three-dimensional tissues that mimic the structure and function of an organ), has allowed inverters develop functional models of miniature placentas at an early stage, with which you can study further its operation and development in the early stages of pregnancy.
The study of these micro-placentas is a great advance, because To date, knowledge of the human placenta was very limited due to the lack of functional experimental models that allowed to know everything that happens in this complex initial period of pregnancy.
The placenta, a complex organ that provides oxygen and nutrients to the baby
The placenta is the extraembryonic organ that holds the fetus during intrauterine life, and its correct functioning is vital for the development of pregnancy. Not surprisingly, there are many pregnancies that do not reach term or suffer consequences due to a malfunction of the placenta.
In Babies and more Delayed intrauterine growth: what consequences does it have for the baby to grow less than normal in pregnancyOne week after fertilization has occurred, and at the same time that implantation of the embryo takes place in the uterine wall, the placenta begins to form, which develops from the same cells from the sperm and the ovule.
Among the many important functions that the placenta has, are:
Transmit nutrients and oxygen to the baby
Transport the baby waste to maternal bloodstream, to eliminate it through the kidneys
Act like a filter that keeps harmful substances away of the organic baby system. But it is not always able to filter everything, hence the importance of not consuming certain medications, and other substances such as alcohol, tobacco and drugs, as well as avoiding contaminated environments.
The placenta too protects the baby against many microorganisms like bacteria and germs, but it is not able to do so against most viruses, such as Zika or cytomegalovirus, for example.
In Babies and more Better to prevent… What vaccines should I get in pregnancy?- She is in charge of the hormone manufacturing, including human chorionic gonadotropin, which is what allows pregnancy to continue. It also synthesizes estrogens, which play a very important role in embryo implantation, breast development and placental lactogen, which controls maternal metabolism and stimulates the growth of the baby.
