Epidermal growth factor receptor and human fetoplacental development.

Alteration of placental development directly interferes with fetal growth. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a major role in placental implantation, growth and differentiation. EGF acts on its placental target cells, i.e. the trophoblasts, via a specific receptor (EGFR) which belongs to the tyrosine kinase receptor family. Abundant placental EGF receptors are located in the brush border at the fetomaternal interface. EGFR expression is modulated by trophoblast differentiation and by hormones or toxic substances such as smoke. Interestingly, in microvilli purified from placentae of infants with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) a decrease or absence of tyrosine kinase activity is observed. This suggests that an alteration of EGFR biological activity might interfere with the fetoplacental unit development.