The Maternal Fetal Interface

The 29 papers contained in this volume look closely at various aspects of what is termed, "The Maternal-Fetal Interface," as it relates to the latest research in placental science. A substantial section of the book is devoted to the troublesome question of vertical transmission of infectious agents: namely, the HIV-1 virus. However, other sections of the volume examine related issues such as drug and toxin transfer across the term placenta and the diversity of placental types and how this can affect a placenta's effectiveness as a barrier. Anthony Carter is at the University of Odense, Denmark Vibeke Dantzer is at the University of Copenhagen, DenmarkThomas Jansson is at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden

The placenta is an organ that connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall, thereby allowing nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply. Proper vascular development in the placenta is fundamental to ensuring a healthy fetus and successful pregnancy. This book provides an up-to-date summary and synthesis of knowledge regarding placental vascular biology and discusses the relevance of this vascular bed to the functions of the human placenta.

This is the third volume in a series focusing on reproductive immunology. The book examines the molecular and cellular nature of immune signalling between mother and fetus, the role that this signalling plays in normal maintenance of pregnancy and how its aberrations may affect fetal development. These questions are considered under three major headings: the fetal major histocompatability complex, decidual effector cells, and cytokines. A detailed view of genetic phenomena affecting maternal fetal interaction at the molecular level is also presented. One of the most interesting concepts to evolve from this work is that the "molecular languages" of the hematopoietic/lymphoid and trophoblast decidua systems (and possibly the nervous system) are closely related and, in some cases, may be identical. In analysing the central problem of reproductive immunology from many different scientific points-of-view, the authors make clear that our somewhat parochial view of different biological phenomena will have to be revised and broadened as we find more evidence of universality in biological systems.

This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact.

This book covers in detail contemporary hypotheses and studies related to the immunology of implantation and provides a practical approach for the application of basic reproductive immunology research to pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, pre-term labor and IUGR. Provides complete and up to date review of current knowledge of the role of the immune system during pregnancy and the interactions between the placenta and the maternal immune system.