Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Human Primary Trophoblast Cell Culture Model to Study the Protective Effects of Melatonin Against Hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced Disruption
12:02

Human Primary Trophoblast Cell Culture Model to Study the Protective Effects of Melatonin Against Hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced Disruption

Published on: July 30, 2016

The plasma membrane transformation of uterine epithelial cells during pregnancy

C R Murphy1

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Journal of Reproduction and Fertility. Supplement
|July 13, 2000
PubMed

This review discusses the diversity of placentation mechanisms and examines the extensive alterations that occur in the plasma membrane of uterine epithelial cells during early pregnancy in many species. Ultrastructural, biochemical and morphological studies reveal that similar membrane alterations occur in many species, despite the diversity in the type of placenta that is formed ultimately. As these morphological and molecular alterations in the plasma membrane occur across species and are found basolaterally as well as apically, the term 'plasma membrane transformation' is proposed, which also emphasizes that alterations in this membrane during early pregnancy are not just an occurrence at attachment, but are an ongoing process during much of early pregnancy.

More Related Videos

Isolation of Primary Human Decidual Cells from the Fetal Membranes of Term Placentae07:37

Isolation of Primary Human Decidual Cells from the Fetal Membranes of Term Placentae

Published on: April 30, 2018

Trophoblast Cell Recovery from Angiogenesis-Tube Formation Assay for Differentiation Marker Expression Analysis05:30

Trophoblast Cell Recovery from Angiogenesis-Tube Formation Assay for Differentiation Marker Expression Analysis

Published on: November 8, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Cleavage and Blastulation01:33

Cleavage and Blastulation

After a large-single-celled zygote is produced via fertilization, the process of cleavage occurs while zygotes travel through the uterine tube. Cleavage is a mitotic cell division that does not result in growth. With each round of successive cell division, daughter cells get increasingly smaller.
Enlargement of the Plasma Membrane01:22

Enlargement of the Plasma Membrane

Cell division and enlargement are processes that require precise control. The control ensures that cell division cannot proceed unless the cell has grown to a specific size. A spherical, dividing cell requires an approximately 1.6X increase in its surface area to double its volume. The secretory pathway also has a significant role in cell membrane enlargement. Secretory vesicles that bud off from the Golgi apparatus and later fuse with the plasma membrane during exocytosis are a major source of...
Transcytosis of IgG01:15

Transcytosis of IgG

Transcytosis is the process in which molecules are internalized by endocytosis, transported across the cell, and released through exocytosis from the opposite end of the cell. Molecules such as insulin, immunoglobulins, and certain nutrients are transferred through the recycling endosomes by recycling and transcytosis.
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
Ovarian Cycle01:27

Ovarian Cycle

The menstrual cycle includes a critical component known as the ovarian cycle, which undergoes two main phases each month—the follicular phase and the luteal phase. The follicular phase is variable and averaging around 14 days. Ovulation, triggered by a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH), marks the transition between the two phases. The second phase, the luteal phase, is relatively consistent, lasting approximately 14 days, and is marked by the activity of the corpus luteum. While a cycle length...
Proliferative Phase01:20

Proliferative Phase

The proliferative phase typically occurs after menstruation and lasts between 6 to 13 days in a standard 28-day cycle. This phase involves the reconstruction of the endometrium, guided by estrogen produced by the developing ovarian follicle.
Notably, the stratum basale, the basal layer of the endometrium, including the basal parts of the uterine glands, remains unaffected by menstruation. Stem cells in this layer undergo mitosis, regenerating the stratum functionalis and thickening the...
Histology of the Uterus01:19

Histology of the Uterus

The uterine wall consists of three histological layers: the perimetrium, myometrium, and endometrium. The outermost perimetrium is a thin, serous membrane connected with the broad ligament on the sides, which helps anchor the uterus in the pelvic cavity. The thickest layer, myometrium, is mainly made up of smooth muscle tissue bundles. Its contractions are vital in facilitating the expulsion of the uterine lining, fetus, and placenta during menstruation and childbirth.
The endometrium is the...