Useful notes on fetoplacental unit and its

physiological significance
Ramya

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The fetus, placenta, and mother are interdependent and constitute a functional unit called
the feto-placento-maternal unit or simply, the fetoplacental unit. The secretion of
hormones by the placenta involves the shuttling of many of the hormonal substrates back-
and-forth between the placenta, fetal circulation and maternal circulation. Following are
the major examples of this shuttling.

(1) The placenta cannot synthesize cholesterol from acetate. However, both mother and
fetus can do so and the cholesterol so formed diffuses into the placenta, which possesses
the enzymes needed to convert cholesterol to progesterone via pregnenolone. The
progesterone formed in the placenta diffuses back into the maternal circulation and exerts
its physiological actions. Placental progesterone also diffuses into the fetus where it is
converted to corticosteroids.

(2) The enzyme 17, 20 lyase is essential for the synthesis of DHEA
(dehydroepiandrosterone), which is the precursor to all estrogens. 17, 20 lyase is absent
in the placenta. Hence, for estrogen synthesis, the placenta obtains DHEAS from the
maternal and fetal circulation. DHEAS (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) is deconjugated
to DHEA in the placenta before it is converted to estriol.

(3) Estriol, the major circulating hormone in pregnancy is synthesized from DHEAS. The
conversion requires mainly two enzymes: 16a hydroxylase and aromatase. However, 16a-
hydroxylase is absent in the placenta. The placenta therefore takes up 16 OH-DHEAS
from maternal and fetal circulation, deconjugates it into 16 OH-DHEA and converts it
into estriol. Fetal 16 OH-DHEA is the major source of placental estriol and therefore, the
urinary excretion of estriol in mother is an index of the health of the fetus.
 1. INJETY..VINEELA MSC NURSING(OBG) NRI COLLEGE OF NURSING
GUNTUR TOPIC ON FERTILIZATION
 2. Anatomy of Sperm
 3. AnatomyofOva
 4. FERTILIZATION Fertilization is the process of fusion of the spermatazoon with
the mature ovum.It begins with sperm and egg collision and ends with the production of
mononucleated single cell called ZYGOTE. Almost always fertilization occurs in
AMPULLARY portion of fallopian tubes.
 5. APPROXIMATION OF GAMETES The ovum immediately following ovulation
is picked up by the tubal fimbriae which partly envelope the ovary, specially at the time
of ovulation . The pick up action might be muscular or by a kind of suction by ciliary
action or by a postivie chemotaxis exerted by the tubal secretion.
 6. The ovum is rapidly transported to the ampullary part. Fertilisable life span of
oocyte ranges from 12 to 24 hours where as that of sperm is 48 to 72 hours. Out of
hundred of millions of sperms deposited in the vagina at single ejaculation. Only
thousands capacitated spermataozoa enter the uterine tube while only 300-500 reach the
ovum. The tubal transport is facilitated by muscular contraction and aspiration action
of the uterine tube.
 7. CONTACT AND FUSION OF THE GAMETES Complete dissolution of the cells
of the corona radiata occurs by the chemical action of the HYALURONIDASE
liberated from the Acrosomal cap of the hundreds of sperm present at the site.
Penetration of Zona pellucida is facilitated by Hyaluronidase from the acrosomal cap.
Soon after the Sperm fusion ,penetration of other sperm is prevented by ZONA
REACTION and COLEMA BLOCK.
 8. Process of Fertilization (5) Fusion of sperm and egg pronuclei (4) Passage through
extra cellular envelopes (3) Binding of sperm to extra cellular envelopes (2) Release of
acrosomal enzymes (1) Chemo attraction
 9. Sex of the child is determined by the pattern of sex chromosome supplied by the
SPERMATOZOON. If the SPERMATOZOON contains ‘X’ Chromosome a female
embryo (46 XX). If it contains ‘Y’ Chromosome a Male embryo (46 XY) is formed.
 10. MORULA After the zygote formation, typical mitotic division of segmentation
nucleus occurs producing two BLASTOMERES. The two cells stage is reached
approximately 30 hours after “FERTILIZATION”. The blastomeres continue to divide
by binary division through 4,6,8 cell stage until a cluster of cells is formed and is called
MORULA, resembling MULBERRY. By the 4th day it forms to 16-64 cell stage.
 11. BLASTOCYST While the morula remains free in the uterine cavity on the 4th
and 5th day. The fluid passes through the canaliculi of the zona pellucida which
seperates the cells of morula and is now termed as BLASTOCYST. Zona Hatching is
next step so that trophectoderm cells interact with endometrial cells and implantation
occurs.
 12. Blastocyst – When zygote divides to 32 cells it Becomes known as a Blastocyst
 13. IMPLANTATION/NIDATION/NESTING Implantation occurs in the
endometrium of the anterior or posterior wall of the body near the fundus on the 6th
day which corresponds,to the 20th day of regular menstural cycle. IMPLANTATION
occurs through four stages. Apposition Adhesion Penetration Invasion
 14. The implantation process is completed by 10th or 11th day. This type of deeper
penetration of human blastocyst is called as IMPLANTATION. Now the blastocyst is
covered all sides by the endometrium (DECIDUA).
 15. Day 15 The primitive streak can be seen on the left side Day 17 The primitive
streak can still be seen, and the opposite end of the embryo is starting to fold up. The
Blastocyst begins to collapse