The placenta develops during pregnancy to accommodate the fetus oxygen και θρεπτικά συστατικά από τη μητέρα. Τώρα, διεθνής team of scientists managed to create a placenta on a chip to study its vital function in depth.
The artificial placenta mimics the transport substances from the mother to the fetus as normal.
Because it can be dangerous for the fetus to examine the placenta during pregnancy, the innovative achievement can serve numerous diagnostic and research purposes.
Until now, scientists were studying placental function only in experimental animals or in standard cell models developed in the laboratory.
The placenta on chip includes maternal cells and fetal cells derived from the umbilical cord.
A related study is published in the inspection Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine.
