Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Genetic conflicts in human pregnancy

D Haig1

  • 1Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.

The Quarterly Review of Biology
|December 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Reply.

Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology·2023
Same author

The cytokine response of afferent lymph following orf virus reinfection of sheep.

Veterinary dermatology·2021
Same author

Sexy males and sexless females: the origin of triploid apomicts.

Heredity·2017
Same author

Novel ovine polymorphisms and adaptive evolution in mammalian TLR2 suggest existence of multiple pathogen binding regions.

Gene·2014
Same author

Coadaptation and conflict, misconception and muddle, in the evolution of genomic imprinting.

Heredity·2013
Same author

The pea and the coconut: seed size in safe sites.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2011

Maternal and fetal genes are in conflict during pregnancy, with fetal genes promoting nutrient transfer and maternal genes limiting it. This evolutionary arms race influences pregnancy conditions like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Reproductive science
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Pregnancy is often viewed as cooperative, but natural selection can create opposing pressures on maternal and fetal genes.
  • Genomic imprinting introduces conflict within fetal cells between maternally and paternally derived genes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the concept of genetic conflict between mother and fetus.
  • To explain how this conflict influences physiological adaptations and conditions during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

  • The study uses a theoretical framework based on evolutionary principles.
  • It analyzes the physiological interactions between maternal and fetal systems, including placental development and hormone function.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Fetal genes are selected to maximize nutrient transfer, while maternal genes aim to limit it, creating an evolutionary escalation.
  • Placental hormones like human placental lactogen (hPL) manipulate maternal physiology, e.g., increasing insulin resistance.
  • Conditions like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia can be interpreted as outcomes of this maternal-fetal genetic conflict.

Conclusions:

  • The mother-fetus relationship is characterized by underlying genetic conflict, not just cooperation.
  • This conflict drives evolutionary adaptations and can lead to pregnancy-related disorders when maternal countermeasures are insufficient.