Carter Anthony M
Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, J. B. Winsloews Vej 21, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark.
F1000Res. 2018 Jan 19;7:89. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.13115.1. eCollection 2018.
The mammalian placenta shows an extraordinary degree of variation in gross and fine structure, but this has been difficult to interpret in physiological terms. Transcriptomics offers a path to understanding how structure relates to function. This essay examines how studies of gene transcription can inform us about placental evolution in eutherian and marsupial mammals and more broadly about convergent evolution of viviparity and placentation in vertebrates. Thus far, the focus has been on the chorioallantoic placenta of eutherians at term, the reproductive strategies of eutherians and marsupials, and the decidual response of the uterus at implantation. Future work should address gene expression during early stages of placental development and endeavor to cover all major groups of mammals. Comparative studies across oviparous and viviparous vertebrates have centered on the chorioallantoic membrane and yolk sac. They point to the possibility of defining a set of genes that can be recruited to support commonalities in reproductive strategies. Further advances can be anticipated from single-cell transcriptomics if those techniques are applied to a range of placental structures and in species other than humans and mice.
哺乳动物的胎盘在大体结构和精细结构上呈现出极大的差异，但从生理学角度很难对其进行解读。转录组学为理解结构与功能之间的关系提供了一条途径。本文探讨了基因转录研究如何能让我们了解真兽类和有袋类哺乳动物的胎盘进化，以及更广泛地了解脊椎动物胎生和胎盘形成的趋同进化。到目前为止，研究重点一直是真兽类足月时的绒毛膜尿囊胎盘、真兽类和有袋类的生殖策略以及植入时子宫的蜕膜反应。未来的工作应关注胎盘发育早期阶段的基因表达，并努力涵盖所有主要的哺乳动物群体。卵生和胎生脊椎动物的比较研究集中在绒毛膜尿囊膜和卵黄囊上。这些研究表明，有可能定义一组可被招募来支持生殖策略共性的基因。如果将单细胞转录组学技术应用于一系列胎盘结构以及人类和小鼠以外的物种，有望取得进一步进展。
