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Updated: Oct 7, 2026

Three-dimensional Rendering and Analysis of Immunolabeled, Clarified Human Placental Villous Vascular Networks
Published on: March 29, 2018
Ontogenesis of villi and fetal vessels in the human placenta
J C Challier1, C Vervelle, S Uzan
1Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Physiopathologie de l'Implantation et du Développement, UPRES EA2396, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France. jcch@ccr.jussieu.fr
Abstract:
The ontogenesis of the villous and vascular arborescence in normal pregnancy is reviewed. The emergence of the villi and the fetal vessels is described from early pregnancy to term together with the specializations of the villi, vessels and capillaries observed in the last trimester. The expression, localization and role of the angiogenic growth factors (FGF, VEGF, PLGF, HGF) are described and discussed. Pathological pregnancies with hyper- and hypocapillarization are related to altered oxygenation. The potential roles of growth factors are presented and hypotheses proposed which may provide a molecular basis for the development of the most frequent placental pathologies.
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