title: Placental transport in pregnancy pathologies.
abstract: The placenta is positioned between the maternal and fetal circulation and hence plays a key role in transporting maternal nutrients to the developing fetus. Fetal growth changes in the 2 most frequent pregnancy pathologies, gestational diabetes mellitus and fetal growth restriction, are predominantly characterized by an exaggerated and restricted fat accretion, respectively. Glucose, by its regulating effect on fetal insulin concentrations, and lipids have been strongly implicated in fetal fat deposition. Transplacental glucose flux is highly efficient and limited only by nutrient availability (flow-limited)--ie, driven by the maternal-fetal glucose concentration gradient and blood flow, with little, if any, effect of placental morphology, glucose consumption, and transporter expression. This explains why, despite changes in these determinants in both pathologies, transplacental glucose flux is unaltered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. gernot.desoye@medunigraz.at
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Desoye
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gauster
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wadsack
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000473:pathology*; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D008049:Lipase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply*; D021041:Placental Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000473:pathology*; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein; D008049:Lipase