PSL470H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Syncytium, Natural Killer Cell, Fetus
Document Summary
Materials released into mother may affect her health for 30yrs post pregnancy. If the connection between the embryo and placenta does not form, pregnancy will fail: 30-40% of pregnancies fail, mostly due to chromosomal abnormalities, but some due to implantation errors and improper function of the placenta. The placenta is developed enough to make all the necessary secretions. If egg is not fertilized, corpus luteum becomes corpus luteum of menstruation and eventually a white scar called the corpus albicans: pregnancy tests check circulating levels of hcg. Stages of early pregnancy: fertilization in the oviducts, 2-3 days post-fertilization, the egg divides into an 8-cell mass, 4-5 days post-fertilization, the morula enters the uterus and forms early blastocyst. Inner cell mass forms the baby; trophoblastic cells (outer layer) form the placenta: 5-6 days post-fertilization, late blastocyst implants in the upper, posterior region of uterus (ie fundic region)
