PREECLAMPSIA - A DISORDER OF PLACENTAL MITOCHONDRIA

Pre-eclampsia is a common, pregnancy-induced, multisystem disease lead ing to severe complications in the mother and foetus. The aetiology of pre-eclampsia remains a mystery, but a growing body of evidence sugge sts that a mitochondrial defect might cause the impairement of differe ntiation and invasion of the trophoblast that leads to this disorder. This hypothesis is the topic of ongoing studies that, if confirmed, wo uld be highly relevant to preventative strategies for this disease.