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Updated: Mar 27, 2026

Determining the Role of Maternally-Expressed Genes in Early Development with Maternal Crispants
Published on: December 21, 2021
The Pleiotropic Effect of Glycodelin-A in Early Pregnancy
Cheuk-Lun Lee1,2,3, Kevin K W Lam1,3, Madhavi Vijayan1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Abstract:
Successful pregnancy depends largely on adequate placentation and maternal tolerance of the fetus. Glycodelin-A is a glycoprotein abundant in the decidua during early pregnancy. It plays an important role in placental development and fetomaternal defense. Glycodelin-A interacts by its unique carbohydrate side chains with the cell surface of various cell types in the human fetomaternal interface, particularly the trophoblasts and the immune cells, and modulates their functions and differentiation to permit successful pregnancy. Abnormal levels of glycodelin-A in the endometrium, uterine flushings, and/or maternal serum correlate with unexplained infertility, early pregnancy loss, and recurrent miscarriage. This review integrates recent studies on the role of glycodelin-A in placental development and fetomaternal tolerance in early pregnancy.
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