Lecture 6.1: Placental Development and Pregnancy Flashcards
What does the Trophoblast differentiate into? (2)
- Syncytiotrophoblast
- Cytotrophoblast
What does the Embryoblast differentiate into? (2)
- Epiblast
- Hypoblast
Which trophoblast differentiate invades the uterine wall? On what day?
- Syncytiotrophoblast
- Day 6
Degraded contents of uterine cells engulfed by the trophoblast are used to feed the embryo until….?
links with maternal capillaries are made
What day does the bilaminar disk form?
Day 7-9
By the end of week 2: what are the 2 cavites surrounding the embryo?
- Amniotic Cavity
- Yolk Sac
What is the supporting sac at the end of week 2 called?
Chorionic Cavity
What is the role of the yolk sac?
Provides nutrients until placenta ready to take over
What does the Chorion go on to form? What is its role?
- Placenta
- Provide Nutrition for Embryo
What does the Allantois go on to form? What is its role?
- Umbilical Chord
- Waste Disposal
What is the Amnion?
Membrane surrounding amniotic fluid
Twins: When are there 2 chorions and 2 amnions?
- 2 morulas and 2 blastocytes
- Could be 2 separate eggs or 1 egg splits into 2 at
zygotic stage - Separate implantation sites
Twins: When are there 2 amnions but a shared chorion?
- 1 morula but 2 ICMs and bilaminar disks
Twins: When are there is shared amnions and a shared chorion?
- 1 blastocyte and bilaminar disk but 2 primitive streaks
The human placenta is haemomonochorial, what does this mean?
Only one layer of trophoblast ultimately separates maternal blood from foetal capillary wall
Why does the placental membrane get thinner?
To fulfil the needs of the foetus as they increase
What are the aims of the implantation of a foetus? (3)
- Establish the basic unit of exchange (villi)
- Anchor the placenta
- Establish maternal blood flow within the placenta
What are Primary Villi?
Early finger-like projections of trophoblast
What are Secondary Villi?
Invasion of mesenchyme into core
Tertiary Villi
Invasion of mesenchyme core by foetal vessels
What is Decidualisation?
Functional and morphological changes that occur within the endometrium to form the decidual lining into which the blastocyst implants
What hormone signals to the endometrium to prepared
for implantation each month?
Progesterone
What do endometrial stromal cells do?
Secrete growth factors and signalling molecules
What do uterine natural killer cells do?
Regulate the immune response against the non-self embryo
What happens in remodelling of the spiral arteries?
Modifies the arteries from low-flow, high-resistance to high-flow, low-resistance vessels
Why does remodelling of the spiral arteries occur?
Maintains the high flow required to meet foetal demand
What happens to the cytotrophoblast layer of the placenta as pregnancy progresses?
It is lost, as placenta becomes thinner so that nutritional needs of foetus can be better met