CONTROL OF TROPHOBLAST CELL-DIFFERENTIATION - LESSONS FROM THE GENETICS OF EARLY-PREGNANCY LOSS AND TROPHOBLAST NEOPLASIA

Trophoblast cell differentiation is crucial to the morphogenesis of th e placenta and thus the establishment of pregnancy and the growth and development of the embryo/fetus. In the present review, we discuss cur rent evidence for the existence of regulatory genes crucial to trophob last cell diiferentiation and placental morphogenesis. The elucidation of regulatory pathways controlling normal differentiation of trophobl ast cells will facilitate the identification of sensitive junctures in the regulatory pathways leading to various developmental disorders, i ncluding those associated with the initiation of pregnancy, fetal grow th retardation and gestational trophoblast disease.