Intrauterine trophoblast migration: A comparative view of humans and rodents

Abstract

Trophoblast migration and invasion through the decidua and maternal uterine spiral arteries are crucial events in placentation. During this process, invasive trophoblast replace vascular endothelial cells as the uterine arteries are remodeled to form more permissive vessels that facilitate adequate blood flow to the growing fetus. Placentation failures resulting from either extensive or shallow trophoblastic invasion can cause pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, placenta creta, gestational trophoblastic disease and even maternal or fetal death. Consequently, the use of experimental animal models such as rats and mice has led to great progress in recent years with regards to the identification of mechanisms and factors that control trophoblast migration kinetics. This review aims to perform a comparative analysis of placentation and the mechanisms and factors that coordinate intrauterine trophoblast migration in humans, rats and mice under physiological and pathological conditions.

Thyroid hormones affect decidualization and angiogenesis in the decidua and metrial gland of rats

“…During the placentation, the fetal placenta of the rat is organized into placental labyrinth and junctional zone (layer spongiotrophoblast plus giant cell layer), different from the human placenta that is organized in villous placenta [cytotrophoblast (innermost) and syncytiotrophoblast (outermost)] and extravillous trophoblast (EVT). The EVT is similar to the rat invasive trophoblasts that migrate towards the decidua (Silva & Serakides 2016). The volume of the decidua and of each layer of the fetal placenta changes according to gestational period.…”

“…During this process, there are extensive invasion of the decidua by Natural Killer cells in close association of uterine spiral artery in both humans and rats (Chakraborty et al 2011, Chazara et al 2011. Similarly to humans, rat trophoblasts deeply invade the decidua, extending to the mesometrial triangle, different from mice in which the trophoblastic invasion is very limited and confined to the mesometrial decidua (Silva & Serakides 2016).…”

“…The interaction between the fetal blood vessels and the maternal vascular space in the rat has a labyrinthine organization. This region corresponds to the human placental villi that are surrounded by intervillous space through which maternal blood flows (Silva & Serakides 2016). In this region, the relation between the trophoblast cells and the endothelium of the fetal vessels is hemomonochorial in human, while in the rat placenta is hemotrichorial, i.e., with one or three trophoblast layers, respectively (Furukawa et al 2014).…”

“…However, although some similarities stimulate the use of the rat as a model for the study of maternal-fetal interface of human and primates (Enders & Blankenship 1999, Georgiades et al 2002, Shortman & Liu 2002, Carter & Enders 2004, Carter 2007, Carter & Mess 2007, Dilworth & Silbley 2013, Silva & Serakides 2016), some differences exist in structure, placental development and some types of trophoblast cells between the human and rat placentas (Silva & Serakides 2016). During the placentation, the fetal placenta of the rat is organized into placental labyrinth and junctional zone (layer spongiotrophoblast plus giant cell layer), different from the human placenta that is organized in villous placenta [cytotrophoblast (innermost) and syncytiotrophoblast (outermost)] and extravillous trophoblast (EVT).…”

Caffeine Intake during Pregnancy: What Are the Real Evidences?

“…It is responsible for nutrient, gases and energy substrates transportation that enable the proper development of eutherian mammals [15]. Considering that the placenta aims to nourish and control the passage of various substances to the fetus, animal studies directed to clinical application require a placental model compatible with human characteristics [25]. Currently, rodents and nonhuman primates' models seem to represent the best models associating caffeine intake with pregnancy and fetal outcomes [19].…”