Trophoblast organoids as a model for maternal–fetal interactions during human placentation

Publication: Nature

Margherita Y. Turco, Lucy Gardner, Richard G. Kay, Russell S. Hamilton, Malwina Prater, Michael S. Hollinshead, Alasdair McWhinnie, Laura Esposito, Ridma Fernando, Helen Skelton, Frank Reimann, Fiona M. Gribble, Andrew Sharkey, Steven G. E. Marsh, Stephen O’Rahilly, Myriam Hemberger, Graham J. Burton & Ashley Moffett

28 November 2018


Summary:

During pregnancy a complex interaction between the mother and the embryo/fetus takes part to secure placental provision of nutrients to the fetus. Human models of this interaction, involving so called trophoblast invasion, had not been established, making it difficult to study this process, that results in life threatening diseases when it goes wrong.

The laboratory of Aschley Moffett, who led this research, established a new organoid model for human trophoblast/placenta development. Our contribution was LC-MS/MS showing that this model faithfully produced pregnancy related hormones.

This organoid model will be transformative for studying human placental development and for investigating trophoblast interactions with the local and systemic maternal environment.

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