Researchers develop model to assess biology of human placental barrier

During pregnancy, the human placenta plays multiple essential roles, including hormone production and nutrient/waste processing. It also serves as a barrier to protect the developing fetus from external toxic substances. However, the placental barrier can still be breached by certain drugs. In a study appearing in Nature Communications, a team led by researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have developed a trophoblast stem (TS) cell-based organoid model of the placental barrier to support further biological research.

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