Oxidative stress.
Considerable evidence implicates oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of many complications of human pregnancy, and this topic has now become a major focus of both clinical and basic science research. Oxidative stress arises when the production of reactive oxygen species overwhelms the intrinsic anti-oxidant defences. Reactive oxygen species play important roles as second messengers in many intracellular signalling cascades aimed at maintaining the cell in homeostasis with its immediate environment. At higher levels, they can cause indiscriminate damage to biological molecules, leading to loss of function and even cell death. In this chapter, we will review how reactive oxygen species are generated and detoxified in the human placenta, and what roles they may play at homeostatic concentrations. We will then consider their involvement in normal placental development, and in complications ranging from miscarriage to pre-eclampsia and premature rupture of the membranes.
Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. gjb2@cam.ac.uk
Graham J
GJ
Burton
Eric
E
Jauniaux
D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species