Rat visceral yolk sac (VYS) and placenta mitochondrial features during the placentation period

M P Alcolea1, B Colom, E Amengual-Cladera

  • 1Grup de Metabolisme Energètic i Nutrició, Departament de Biologia Fonamental, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Mitochondrion
|October 1, 2008
PubMed

The transference of the nutritional function from the VYS to the chorioallantoic placenta during middle pregnancy is a key event for the activation of embryo oxidative metabolism. However, the metabolic adaptations occurring in these tissues during this critical period have not been studied to date. Herein, we investigate the VYS and placenta mitochondrial adaptations throughout gestational days 11, 12 and 13. The results reflect that, during the placentation period, mitochondrial proliferation predominates over differentiation in placenta. Besides, VYS development and mitochondriogenesis show a slowdown despite maintaining the mitochondrial OXPHOS capacities, hence becoming a supporting tissue until the placenta functions are completely available.

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