Award details

MRC Fellowship: The importance of placental cathepsins for pregnancy: their role in differentiation, invasion and vascular remodelling

Reference	BBS/E/B/0000M100
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Myriam Hemberger
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Babraham Institute
Department	Babraham Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	348,285
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/01/2004
End date	30/04/2008
Duration	52 months

Abstract

The placenta is the organ that mediates and regulates nutrition of the growing fetus during pregnancy. To accomplish this function, specialized cells of the placenta penetrate into surrounding uterine tissue and redirect the maternal blood circulation towards the embryo. My research is aimed to elucidate the molecular basis of this specialised and tightly regulated invasion process. The project investigates the role of two genes in the process of placental cell invasion and their role in establishing the connection to the maternal blood supply. These two genes promote differentiation of the invasive placental cell type. They most likely also affect blood vessel outgrowth. The experiments are aimed to analyze the capacity of these genes to enhance cellular invasion into surrounding tissue and their impact on blood vessel growth that supports embryonic (or tumour) development. Human placental malformations and placenta-derived tumours will be analyzed for a potential deregulation of members of this gene family. This analysis will gain many insights into the differentiation of invasive placental cells and their vascular interactions that are of critical importance for the outcome of pregnancy.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Genes & Developmental Biology (GDB)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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