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3D Visualisation of trans-syncytial nanopores provides a pathway for paracellular diffusion across the human placental syncytiotrophoblast

3D Visualisation of trans-syncytial nanopores provides a pathway for paracellular diffusion across the human placental syncytiotrophoblast
3D Visualisation of trans-syncytial nanopores provides a pathway for paracellular diffusion across the human placental syncytiotrophoblast
The placental syncytiotrophoblast, a syncytium without cell-cell junctions, is the primary barrier between the mother and the fetus. Despite no apparent anatomical pathway for paracellular diffusion of solutes across the syncytiotrophoblast size-dependent paracellular diffusion is observed. Here we report data demonstrating that the syncytiotrophoblast is punctuated by trans-syncytial nanopores (TSNs). These membrane-bound TSNs directly connect the maternal and fetal facing sides of the syncytiotrophoblast, providing a pathway for paracellular diffusion between the mother and fetus. Mathematical modelling of TSN permeability based on their 3D geometry suggests that 10-37 million TSNs per cm3 of placental tissue could explain experimentally observed placental paracellular diffusion. TSNs may mediate physiological hydrostatic and osmotic pressure homeostasis between the maternal and fetal circulations but also expose the fetus to pharmaceuticals, environmental pollutants and nanoparticles.
2589-0042
Lewis, Rohan
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Baskaran, Harikesan
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Green, Jools
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Tashev, Stanimir A.
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Palaiologou, Eleni
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Lofthouse, Emma
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Cleal, Jane
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Page, Anthony
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Chatelet, David
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Goggin, Patricia
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Sengers, Bram
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Lewis, Rohan
caaeb97d-ea69-4f7b-8adb-5fa25e2d3502
Baskaran, Harikesan
0405a6a8-97c2-4227-aa41-cb0ea22677e4
Green, Jools
79d77f2b-1768-47cf-a0a6-c1019a5635a2
Tashev, Stanimir A.
229727d7-5e88-483c-b64f-f524f7db1904
Palaiologou, Eleni
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Lofthouse, Emma
c4004ff1-2ed3-4b80-9ade-583c742de59c
Cleal, Jane
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Page, Anthony
3b346d6a-855c-4838-a609-5eb40257e7c6
Chatelet, David
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Goggin, Patricia
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Sengers, Bram
d6b771b1-4ede-48c5-9644-fa86503941aa

Lewis, Rohan, Baskaran, Harikesan, Green, Jools, Tashev, Stanimir A., Palaiologou, Eleni, Lofthouse, Emma, Cleal, Jane, Page, Anthony, Chatelet, David, Goggin, Patricia and Sengers, Bram (2022) 3D Visualisation of trans-syncytial nanopores provides a pathway for paracellular diffusion across the human placental syncytiotrophoblast. iScience, 25 (12). (doi:10.1101/2022.01.26.477815).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The placental syncytiotrophoblast, a syncytium without cell-cell junctions, is the primary barrier between the mother and the fetus. Despite no apparent anatomical pathway for paracellular diffusion of solutes across the syncytiotrophoblast size-dependent paracellular diffusion is observed. Here we report data demonstrating that the syncytiotrophoblast is punctuated by trans-syncytial nanopores (TSNs). These membrane-bound TSNs directly connect the maternal and fetal facing sides of the syncytiotrophoblast, providing a pathway for paracellular diffusion between the mother and fetus. Mathematical modelling of TSN permeability based on their 3D geometry suggests that 10-37 million TSNs per cm3 of placental tissue could explain experimentally observed placental paracellular diffusion. TSNs may mediate physiological hydrostatic and osmotic pressure homeostasis between the maternal and fetal circulations but also expose the fetus to pharmaceuticals, environmental pollutants and nanoparticles.

Text
2022.01.26.477815v4.full - Author's Original
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
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Text
Nanopores paper iScience FINALwith figs for pure - Accepted Manuscript
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More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 2 September 2022
Published date: 2 September 2022

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 471729
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/471729
ISSN: 2589-0042
PURE UUID: 9effe978-f1dd-4a1b-89fa-2a3efc011f6c
ORCID for Rohan Lewis: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4044-9104
ORCID for Emma Lofthouse: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0175-5590
ORCID for Jane Cleal: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7978-4327
ORCID for Bram Sengers: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5859-6984

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 17 Nov 2022 17:37
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:30

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Contributors

Author: Rohan Lewis ORCID iD
Author: Harikesan Baskaran
Author: Jools Green
Author: Stanimir A. Tashev
Author: Eleni Palaiologou
Author: Emma Lofthouse ORCID iD
Author: Jane Cleal ORCID iD
Author: Anthony Page
Author: David Chatelet
Author: Patricia Goggin
Author: Bram Sengers ORCID iD

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