ABSTRACT
The substantial mesenchymal core of the placental villus and the varied functions attributed to mesenchyme-derived cells hinted at stem cell populations other than trophoblast. Maldevelopment of the placenta incorporates pathologies such as placental villous immaturity, and circumvallate placenta where the fetal membranes grow abnormally on the fetal side and around the edge of the placenta. Tissues and organs, including the placenta, rely on pools of renewable, unspecialized cells called stem cells for their development, growth, and maintenance. Trophoblast cells are exclusive to the placenta, and they fall into three differentiated types: villous cytotrophoblast, extravillous trophoblasts, and the syncytiotrophoblast. Providing strong evidence for the anatomical location of the stem cell niche in vivo is a significant obstacle to understanding placental stem cell biology. Important factors in the molecular pathogenesis of preeclampsia include defective placentation, hypoxia, antioxidant depletion, oxidative stress, and angiogenic factor release.
