Placenta resembles tumor, acts as 'dumping ground' for defects - study
The importance of the study stems from its value in analyzing the association between genetic aberrations and birth outcomes.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFA baby (illustrative)(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
A new study conducted by scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute at Cambridge University has found that the normal structure of the human placenta is distinct from all other human organs, and genetically resembles a tumor.As the first study of the genomic architecture of the human placenta, the researchers discovered that it bears a close resemblance to the structure of a tumor and also contains the same genetic mutations found in childhood cancers, acting as a "dumping ground" for genetic defects, according to the study, which was published in the academic journal Nature.The importance of the study stems from its value in analyzing the association between genetic aberrations and birth outcomes, providing greater insight into premature birth and stillbirth.While it is known that the placenta is distinct from other organs in the human body, approximately one to two percent of pregnancies reveal placental cells with a different number of chromosomes than cells in the fetus, which can be killed by this genetic flaw. These problems with the placenta can cause major harm to the mother and unborn child, leading to stillbirths and growth restrictions.The research team found that each one of the biopsies conducted was a genetically distinct "clonal expansion," referring to a cell population from a common ancestor, indicating a parallel between the formation of the placenta and cancer.“Our study confirms for the first time that the placenta is organized differently to every other human organ, and in fact resembles a patchwork of tumors. The rates and patterns of genetic mutations were also incredibly high compared to other healthy human tissues,” said Prof. Steve Charnock-Jones, one of the study's lead scientists.