Short Communication
Author(s): Sandra M Blois*
A healthy placenta has long been acknowledged during
gestation as a keystone of fetal development, and nearly
all pregnancy complications have been linked to improper
development of the placental vasculature. Restriction of
placental blood flow has major consequences for both
fetus and mother during gestation. Increased vascular
resistance and reduced uterine blood flow are associated
with intrauterine growth restriction, and are predictors of
high-risk pregnancies. On the maternal side, the demand
for increased blood flow in an improperly formed
placenta has dangerous consequences for maternal health,
leading to pregnancy diseases such as preeclampsia. The
galectin (gal) family, defined by a canonical carbohydrate
recognition domain (CRD) of approximately 130 amino
acids with specificity for ?-galactosides, represents the
most widely expressed class of lectins in all orga.. View More»