Maternal platelets and extravillous trophoblasts

Recently our published research show that in progressing pregnancy maternal platelets are partially activated at the placental surface during their passage through the placenta, and thereby release their stored platelet factors. The release of these platelet-derived factors seems to have a significant impact on the production of many important pregnancy hormones. Moreover, our new findings reveal that maternal platelets can leave the bloodstream, when entering into the placenta and apparently can leak into intercellular spaces of fetal cells that anchor the placenta to the uterine wall. Subsequent microscopic investigations suggest activation of the maternal platelets in these intercellular spaces. Based on these observations, the influence of platelet activation and the release of platelet-derived factors on fetal placental cells will be investigated in this follow-up project. The effect of the platelet- derived factors on cell differentiation and invasiveness of the placenta cells into the maternal uterine wall will be investigated in detail. These questions have not been investigated before and represent a new scientific concept that opens up novel mechanistic and therapeutic approaches for pregnancy diseases that are associated with increased platelet activation at the placental attachment zone.