3D Models & Single-Cell Tools for Placental Angiogenesis

The placenta is a remarkable yet often overlooked organ. It develops only during pregnancy and disappears afterwards, but during this limited time it is essential for life. It connects the mother with the unborn child and ensures that oxygen and nutrients reach the baby while waste products are removed. For this system to work properly, the placenta must develop correctly from the very beginning. One of the most important early steps is the formation of a fine and highly branched network of blood vessels inside the placenta. These vessels develop in close coordination with other placental cells to create the surface of the exchange area, the placental barrier which is essential for an effective supply and protection of the growing child. If this delicate process is disrupted, the consequences can be serious. Problems such as high blood pressure during pregnancy, reduced growth of the baby, or pregnancy loss are often linked to impaired placental development. Increasing evidence also suggests that disturbances during early pregnancy may raise the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases later in life. Despite the importance of these early events, we still lack a clear understanding of how placental blood vessels form, which cell types are involved, and how they influence each other. This project aims to address these open questions. Its goal is to develop advanced three- dimensional cell models that realistically reflect key aspects of early human placental vessel development. Using these models, different types of human placental cells are grown in the laboratory. This makes it possible to closely observe how blood vessels develop, how cells organize themselves, and how they communicate. Particular attention is given to the flexibility of placental cells and their ability to cooperate in building a stable and functional transport surface. In addition, the project applies a modern analytical technique, so-called single-cell proteomics, that allows individual cells to be studied in great detail. This approach helps reveal which internal processes are active within the cells and which signals guide their behaviour. Early results from preliminary work indicate that this strategy is highly promising and provides insights that were previously out of reach. In the long term, this research aims to not only improve our understanding of pregnancy related disorders but to provide an in-vitro model for human angiogenesis and vessel network formation.