In my laboratory we are interested in learning how the microenvironment of the uterus during human pregnancy affects placental development and function.
Human pregnancy is characterized by invasion of the uterus by placental trophoblast cells.
This is a finely regulated process necessary for the establishment of adequate fetal-maternal exchange. Excessive trophoblast invasion is associated with pathological conditions such as tumours of the placenta, whereas too little invasion of the spiral arteries of the uterus is a feature of preeclampsia, a condition characterized mainly by the development of maternal high blood pressure. Over the last few years we have studied the mechanisms that regulate placental trophoblast invasion of the uterus. Another finding is that trophoblast cells isolated from placentas of preeclamptic patients secrete reduced levels of some of the active enzymes required to invade. Since implantation and early placentation occur under conditions characterized by relatively low levels of oxygen, we are also interested in learning how oxygen may affect trophoblast invasion.