intervillous

In the impregnated uterus the arteries carry the blood to, and the veins convey it away from, the intervillous space of the placenta (see page 63).

XI. Splanchnology. 3d. 3. The Uterus 1918

Between this plate and the uterine muscular fibres are the stratum spongiosum and the boundary layer; through these and the basal plate the uterine arteries and veins pass to and from the intervillous space.

I. Embryology. 11. Development of the Fetal Membranes and Placenta 1918

Many of the larger villi extend from the chorionic to the decidual surface, while others are attached to the septa which separate the cotyledons; but the great majority of the villi hang free in the intervillous space.

I. Embryology. 11. Development of the Fetal Membranes and Placenta 1918

—The maternal portion of the placenta is formed by the decidua placentalis containing the intervillous space.

I. Embryology. 11. Development of the Fetal Membranes and Placenta 1918

The endothelial lining of the uterine vessels ceases at the point where they terminate in the intervillous space which is lined by the syncytiotrophoblast.

I. Embryology. 11. Development of the Fetal Membranes and Placenta 1918

These greatly ramified villi are suspended in the intervillous space, and are bathed in maternal blood, which is conveyed to the space by the uterine arteries and carried away by the uterine veins.

I. Embryology. 11. Development of the Fetal Membranes and Placenta 1918

The fetal and maternal blood currents traverse the placenta, the former passing through the bloodvessels of the placental villi and the latter through the intervillous space (Fig. 39).

I. Embryology. 11. Development of the Fetal Membranes and Placenta 1918

In the early months these septa convey branches of the uterine arteries which open into the intervillous space on the surfaces of the septa.

I. Embryology. 11. Development of the Fetal Membranes and Placenta 1918

The trophoblast proliferates rapidly and forms a network of branching processes which cover the entire ovum and invade and destroy the maternal tissues and open into the maternal bloodvessels, with the result that the spaces in the trophoblastic network are filled with maternal blood; these spaces communicate freely with one another and become greatly distended and form the intervillous space.

I. Embryology. 11. Development of the Fetal Membranes and Placenta 1918

We surmise that hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) within the intervillous space due to abnormal placentation is the mechanism and hypothesize that concomitant administration of aforementioned vitamin antioxidants detrimentally affects trophoblast cells during HR.

PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Tai-Ho Hung et al. 2010