School of Mechanical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
Placenta. 2022 Nov;129:15-22. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.09.008. Epub 2022 Sep 25.
This study proposes a computational fluid dynamics model of a human placenta's independent exchange unit (placentome) to assess the effect that the inner villi distribution and decidual veins (DVs) location and number, have on the oxygen uptake.
The internal placentome porosity distribution was altered in symmetric morphology, while asymmetry was introduced by varying the location and number of DVs. The DV asymmetry was introduced by either displacing them circumferentially, thereby changing the angle between them, or by adding DVs in the inlet cross-section. The results were analyzed by the changes in the normalized oxygen mass fraction and the oxygen uptake.
Oxygenated blood was shown to be delivered deeper into the placentome when the area of non-homogeneous porosity was larger. The largest oxygen uptake was achieved in the asymmetric model with the smallest angle distance between the DVs, where a 10% decrease relative to the farthest case was obtained. Placing DVs adjacent to the spiral artery opening enhanced the drainage of oxygenated blood.
This study demonstrates the importance of the local porosity distribution for the proper perfusion of the intervillous space and proposes a novel approach to improve our understanding of the role of the DVs in placental oxygen uptake.
本研究提出了一种人类胎盘独立交换单位（胎盘合体）的计算流体动力学模型，以评估内绒毛分布以及蜕膜静脉（DVs）位置和数量对氧气摄取的影响。
对称形态下改变内部胎盘合体的孔隙率分布，通过改变 DVs 的位置和数量引入不对称性。通过在入口横截面上移位或添加 DVs 来改变它们之间的角度来引入 DV 不对称性。通过归一化氧质量分数和氧气摄取的变化来分析结果。
当非均匀孔隙面积较大时，含氧血液被输送到胎盘合体的更深部位。在 DVs 之间的角度距离最小的不对称模型中，氧气摄取量最大，与最远的情况相比，氧气摄取量降低了 10%。将 DVs 放置在螺旋动脉开口附近可增强含氧血液的引流。
本研究表明局部孔隙率分布对绒毛间空间的适当灌注非常重要，并提出了一种新方法来提高我们对 DVs 在胎盘氧气摄取中作用的理解。
