TROPHOBLAST PSEUDO-VASCULOGENESIS - FAKING IT WITH ENDOTHELIAL ADHESION RECEPTORS

During early development, a subset of fetal (placental) cytotrophoblas ts exhibits tumor-like behavior and invades the uterus. To access a su pply of maternal blood, they invade arterioles and form heterotypic in teractions with, and replace, resident maternal endothelium, creating a hybrid uterine vasculature. Recently, it has become clear that invad ing cytotrophoblasts transform their adhesion receptor phenotype to re semble the endothelial cells they replace. Furthermore, they express v asculogenic factors and receptors. Is this a form of vasculogenesis?