Expression and functions of human endogenous retroviruses in the placenta: an update.
The placenta is unique amongst normal tissues in transcribing many different human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) families at high levels and this has led to the suggestion that HERVs may fulfil important functions in reproduction. This review discusses our current knowledge of the placental expression of HERVs, in particular the envelope proteins of ERV3 and HERV-W which may have critical roles in placental function.
Muir
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Research Group in Human Reproductive Immunobiology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK. am485@cam.ac.uk
Lever
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Moffett
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D000328:Adult; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins
D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins