Placenta News and Research

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New test to detect substances that are harmful to the placenta and embryo

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a cell culture test to detect substances that are directly or indirectly harmful to embryos. Based on an existing test used for developing new drugs and chemicals, the augmented version is designed to help reduce the number of animal experiments.

22 Jul 2021

Experts evaluate traditional dogmas related to dairy cow health during transition period

For dairy cows, the transition period--the time between a cow giving birth and beginning to produce milk--brings the greatest possibility of health problems.

20 Jul 2021

Subset of immune cells may carry out a sort of 'secondary education' to protect pregnancy

Researchers at UC San Francisco are zeroing in on how the immune system may play a role in miscarriage, which affects about a quarter of pregnancies.

19 Jul 2021

Exposure to chemicals in plastic during the fetal stage is linked with a lower IQ

Bisphenol F chemical (found in plastics) may cause changes in a gene that is crucial for neurological development. Researchers from the Swedish universities of Uppsala and Karlstad made this discovery.

21 May 2021

Abnormal fetal development is regulated by genetics, not the intrauterine environment

The genetics of the placenta and fetus, not the mother’s intrauterine environment, regulate developmental abnormalities, including those that contribute to pregnancy loss.

5 May 2021

Research team discovers unique regenerative property of cells in the early human embryo

Pioneering research led by experts from the University of Exeter's Living Systems Institute has provided new insight into formation of the human embryo.

From University of Exeter 9 Apr 2021

Depletion of stem cells could be a significant factor behind miscarriage

Depletion of a certain type of stem cell in the womb lining during pregnancy could be a significant factor behind miscarriage, according to a study released today in STEM CELLS. The study, by researchers at Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, England, reports on how recurrent pregnancy loss is a result of the loss of decidual precursor cells prior to conception.

26 Mar 2021

Study finds the brain is changed by caffeine in utero

New research finds caffeine consumed during pregnancy can change important brain pathways that could lead to behavioral problems later in life.

10 Feb 2021

Twist‐and‐squeeze mechanism of transporter protein confers cancer drug resistance

In 1986, cellular biochemist Kazumitsu Ueda, currently at Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, discovered that a protein called ABCB1 could transport multiple chemotherapeutics out of some cancer cells, making them resistant to treatment. How it did this has remained a mystery for the past 35 years.

29 Dec 2020

Study reveals lower transfer of protective SARS-CoV-2 antibodies via the placenta

Recent analyses indicate that pregnant women and newborns may face elevated risks of developing more severe cases of COVID-19 following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

24 Dec 2020

New gene therapy approach can improve uterine blood flow in placental insufficiency

A new study identified an adenovirus gene therapy vector carrying a VEGF isoform. It can improve uterine blood flow in placental insufficiency, as reported in the peer-reviewed journal Human Gene Therapy.

16 Dec 2020

Study sheds new light on potential risk factors for preterm birth

A recent study has detected new genetic markers linked to the duration of gestation. These findings shed new light on the possible risk factors for preterm birth.

4 Dec 2020

Placental gene expression related to preeclampsia may be affected by vitamin D status

According to the World Health Organization, preeclampsia affects between 2% to 8% of pregnancies. It can cause serious, sometimes fatal, complications in the mother and child.

10 Nov 2020

Researchers identify genes associated with autism spectrum disorder

The lack of some genes in the BEC/TCEAL cluster could be related to some alterations associated with the autism spectrum disorder, according to a preclinical study published in the journal Genome Biology, and led by Professor Jordi Garcia Fernàndez, from the Faculty of Biology and the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), and researcher Jaime Carvajal, from the Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology - University Pablo de Olavide (CSIC-UPO).

27 Oct 2020

Study reveals developmental changes of the immune system in first days of life

Within the womb, a human fetus benefits from the protection of the placenta, limiting their contact with pathogens. However, once born, babies face a myriad of germs completely new to their bodies.

23 Oct 2020

Research finds air pollution particles in the placentas of women

Pollution particles, including metals, have been found in the placentas of fifteen women in London, according to research led by Queen Mary University of London.

24 Sep 2020

Researchers identify the targets of immune rejection

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) show promise in regenerative medicine for how they lead to the fraction of every other type of cells in the body.

17 Sep 2020

Researchers develop cellular roadmaps to predict the body’s susceptibility to coronavirus

A new study has created promising roadmaps to predict how the novel coronavirus infects organs and detects the factors that could limit the infection.

7 Sep 2020

Researchers investigate cellular factors that could be significant for COVID-19 infection

An infection with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 can affect multiple organs. With this in mind, researchers of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and Cornell University in the US have investigated cellular factors that could be significant for an infection.

4 Sep 2020

Study shows cell surface proteins in placental tissue prevent COVID-19 transmission

Scientists from the Maxwell Finland Laboratory for Infectious Diseases at Boston Medical Center have discovered properties in the placental tissue that may play a significant role in inhibiting the transmission of COVID-19 infection from a mother, who has the novel coronavirus, to her fetus.

3 Sep 2020