CanLoss of Imprinting in the Placenta Serve as a Biosensor of the Perinatal Environment?

Temporal trends in microplastic accumulation in placentas from pregnancies in Hawaiʻi

“…The human placenta is a transient organ that serves as the interface between the maternal and fetal circulatory systems during pregnancy, but also as a barrier that protects the fetus from deleterious pathogens in the maternal environment ( Burton and Fowden, 2015 ; Burton and Jauniaux, 2023 ; Holder, 2021 ). Since the placenta is expelled after birth and has been proposed to serve as a biosensor of the perinatal environment ( Reiter and Lee, 2012 ), we hypothesized that archived placentas could be retrieved to detect, measure, and track the temporal exposure to MP pollution in pregnant women in the State of Hawai‘i. Situated geographically at the crossroads of the Continental USA and the Asia-Pacific region, Hawai‘i is ranked the most diverse state in the USA with a 76% diversity index ( U.S.C.…”