Search of novel human endogenous retroviruses with the cytotrophoblast differentiation into the syncytiotrophoblast

Objective: The villi are covered with syncytiotrophoblast (ST), which directly contacts with maternal blood and exchanges of gases and nutrients between mother and the fetus. Since ST does not proliferate, cytotrophoblast (CT), which underlies the ST, fuses with ST and maintains the ST function throughout pregnancy. Some human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), syncytin1, syncytin2 and suppressin, are known to be expressed for CT fusion process. LTR retrotransposons occupy about 8% of whole human genome, there can be other functional HERVs for CT differentiation except them.

Source: Placenta - November 1, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Kazuki Morita Source Type: research