title: Cytomegalovirus infection and antibody protection of the developing placenta.
abstract: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is transmitted from the infected mother to the placenta and fetus. Virus replicates in the decidua, invasive cytotrophoblasts that breach the uterine vasculature and villous cytotrophoblasts underlying syncytiotrophoblasts, then reaches blood vessels in the villus core. Virus replication, fibrosis, and edema result in a hypoxic intrauterine environment and release of cytokines that stimulates compensatory development of the placenta. We employed villous explant cultures to study viral effects on differentiation and test novel approaches to rescue the placenta from infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Lenore
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petitt
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tabata
mesh_terms: D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000276:immunology; D008954:Models, Biological; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins
keywords: congenital infection; cytotrophoblasts; hypoxia; placenta