Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 May;20(4):996-1014.
doi: 10.1007/s12015-024-10699-2. Epub 2024 Mar 8.

Deciphering the Epigenetic Landscape: Placental Development and Its Role in Pregnancy Outcomes

Yujia Chen  1   2 , Zhoujie Ye  1   2 , Meijia Lin  3 , Liping Zhu  1   2 , Liangpu Xu  4 , Xinrui Wang  5   6
Affiliations
Review

Deciphering the Epigenetic Landscape: Placental Development and Its Role in Pregnancy Outcomes

Yujia Chen et al. Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2024 May.

Abstract

The placenta stands out as a unique, transitory, and multifaceted organ, essential to the optimal growth and maturation of the fetus. Functioning as a vital nexus between the maternal and fetal circulatory systems, it oversees the critical exchange of nutrients and waste. This exchange is facilitated by placental cells, known as trophoblasts, which adeptly invade and remodel uterine blood vessels. Deviations in placental development underpin a slew of pregnancy complications, notably fetal growth restriction (FGR), preeclampsia (PE), recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA), and preterm birth. Central to placental function and development is epigenetic regulation. Despite its importance, the intricate mechanisms by which epigenetics influence the placenta are not entirely elucidated. Recently, the scientific community has turned its focus to parsing out the epigenetic alterations during placental development, such as variations in promoter DNA methylation, genomic imprints, and shifts in non-coding RNA expression. By establishing correlations between epigenetic shifts in the placenta and pregnancy complications, researchers are unearthing invaluable insights into the biology and pathophysiology of these conditions. This review seeks to synthesize the latest findings on placental epigenetic regulation, spotlighting its crucial role in shaping fetal growth trajectories and development. Through this lens, we underscore the overarching significance of the placenta in the larger narrative of gestational health.

Keywords: Clinical Application; Epigenetics; Fetal Growth; Placenta; Pregnancy Complications.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Maltepe, E., Bakardjiev, A. I., & Fisher, S. J. (2010). The placenta: Transcriptional, epigenetic, and physiological integration during development. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 120, 1016–1025. - PubMed - PMC - DOI
    1. Reik, W., & Walter, J. (2001). Genomic imprinting: Parental influence on the genome. Nature Reviews Genetics, 2, 21–32. - PubMed - DOI
    1. Tobi, E. W., van den Heuvel, J., Zwaan, B. J., Lumey, L. H., Heijmans, B. T., & Uller, T. (2018). Selective Survival of Embryos Can Explain DNA Methylation Signatures of Adverse Prenatal Environments. Cell Reports, 25(2660–7), e4.
    1. Nugent, B. M., & Bale, T. L. (2015). The omniscient placenta: Metabolic and epigenetic regulation of fetal programming. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 39, 28–37. - PubMed - PMC - DOI
    1. Hemberger, M., Hanna, C. W., & Dean, W. (2020). Mechanisms of early placental development in mouse and humans. Nature Reviews Genetics, 21, 27–43. - PubMed - DOI

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources