title: Optimal villi density for maximal oxygen uptake in the human placenta.
abstract: We present a stream-tube model of oxygen exchange inside a human placenta functional unit (a placentone). The effect of villi density on oxygen transfer efficiency is assessed by numerically solving the diffusion-convection equation in a 2D+1D geometry for a wide range of villi densities. For each set of physiological parameters, we observe the existence of an optimal villi density providing a maximal oxygen uptake as a trade-off between the incoming oxygen flow and the absorbing villus surface. The predicted optimal villi density 0.47±0.06 is compatible to previous experimental measurements. Several other ways to experimentally validate the model are also proposed. The proposed stream-tube model can serve as a basis for analyzing the efficiency of human placentas, detecting possible pathologies and diagnosing placental health risks for newborns by using routine histology sections collected after birth.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex, France. Electronic address: alexander.serov@polytechnique.edu.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Serov
authors.affiliation: Placental Analytics LLC, 93 Colonial Avenue, Larchmont, NY 10538, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Salafia
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, UK; St. Mary׳s Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9WL, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brownbill
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex, France.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Grebenkov
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Filoche
mesh_terms: D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000502:physiology*; D004058:Diffusion; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D008954:Models, Biological; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000502:physiology*; D016062:Porosity; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Diffusion-convection; Human placenta model; Oxygen transfer