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The placenta (pl.: placentas or placentae) is a temporary embryonic and later fetal organ that begins developing from the blastocyst shortly after implantation.It plays critical roles in facilitating nutrient, gas and waste exchange between the physically separate maternal and fetal circulations, and is an important endocrine organ, producing hormones that regulate both maternal and fetal ...
Placentation is the formation, type and structure, or modes of arrangement of the placenta.The function of placentation is to transfer nutrients, respiratory gases, and water from maternal tissue to a growing embryo, and in some instances to remove waste from the embryo.
The form of the human placenta is generally classified as a discoid placenta. Within this, the cotyledons are the approximately 15-25 separations of the decidua basalis of the placenta, separated by placental septa. [3] Each cotyledon consists of a main stem of a chorionic villus as well as its branches and sub-branches. [3]
Trophoblasts are specialized cells of the placenta that play an important role in embryo implantation and interaction with the decidualized maternal uterus. [5] The core of placental villi contain mesenchymal cells and placental blood vessels that are directly connected to the fetus’ circulation via the umbilical cord.
As well as its function in parturition, Prostaglandin E2 is vital for fetal lung maturation. Additionally, there is an abundance of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 expressed in the foetal membranes. This enzyme converts biologically inactive cortisone into active cortisol, another chemical vital for fetal maturation and labour initiation.
The function of these shunts is to bypass the lungs and maintain proper circulation to important fetal tissue. In the fetal stage, the lungs fill with fluid and collapse because the fetus is within the amniotic sac and the placenta is providing the oxygen it needs to grow.
With sustained fasting, maternal ketones formed from free fatty acids can cross the placenta and be used by the fetus. These functions help support fetal nutrition even in the case of maternal malnutrition. hPL is a potent agonist of the prolactin receptor and a weak agonist of the growth hormone receptor. [5]
Image showing trophoblast differentiated into the two layers of cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast during implantation. It is the outer layer of the trophoblasts and actively invades the uterine wall, during implantation, rupturing maternal capillaries and thus establishing an interface between maternal blood and embryonic extracellular fluid, facilitating passive exchange of material ...