Table 2.
Genes involved in placental development.
| Gene Name | Function | Cell/Tissue type in Human | Cell/Tissue type in Mouse |
|---|---|---|---|
| ID2/Id2 | Stem cell marker | TSC | TSC |
| ASH2/Mash2 | Transcription factor required for spongiotrophoblast development and proliferation | TSC | Chorion, ectoplacental cone, SpTb |
| GCM1/Gcm1 | Transcription factor required for initiation and morphogenesis and syncytiotrophoblast differentiation | CTB, STB | CTB, STB |
| HAND1/Hand1 | Transcription factor required for giant cell differentiation | Trophectoderm | Trophectoderm, TGC |
| TEAD3/Tead3 | Transcription factor involved in regulation of placental lactogen expression | STB | STB |
| MMP9/Mmp9 | Matrix degrading enzyme | EVT | TGC |
| Integrin α1β1 | Cell adhesion molecule | EVT | TGC |
| BHLHE40/Stra13 | Transcription factor | EVT | TGC |
| GLUT1 (SLC2A1)/Glut1 (Slc2a1) | Glucose transport | Mesenchyme or endothelium, CTB | Mesenchyme or endothelium, CTB |
| MEST | Exact role unknown. Abnormal imprinting associated with pregnancy loss. | Mesenchyme or endothelium | Mesenchyme or endothelium |
| PLAC1/Plac1 | Trophoblast differentiation, FGF7 signaling | CTB, STB | All trophoblast cell types |
| IGF2/IgF2 | Promotion of fetal and placental growth, as well as nutrient transfer. Imprinted. | EVT | CTB, Glycogen cells |
| PECAM 1(CD31)/Pecam1 (Cd31) | Adhesion molecule involved in angiogenesis | EVT | EVT, TGC |
| UPA (PLAU)/Upa (Plau) | Role in trophoblast invasion | EVT | TGC |
| HGF/Hgf | Role in angiogenesis and villous development | Mesenchyme or endothelium | Mesenchyme or endothelium |
| VEGF/Vegf | Regulation of angiogenesis | CTB, STB | TGC |
| VEGFR-2/FlK1 | VEGF receptor | Mesenchyme or endothelium | Mesenchyme or endothelium |
| VEGFR1/Flt-1 | VEGF receptor | CTB, STB, EVT, mesenchyme or endothelium | Glycogen cells, mesenchyme or endothelium |
| FGFR2/Fgfr2 | Role in mitogenesis and differentiation | TSC | TSC |
| EOMES/Eomes | Transcription factor | TSC | TSC |
| TFAP2C/Ap-2gamma | Transcription Factor | TSC | TSC |
| NODAL/Nodal | Required for maintenance of human embryonic stem cell pluripotency and may play a role in human placental development | TSC | TSC |
ID2 = inhibitor of DNA binding 2, ASH2 = Achaete-scute family bHLH transcription factor 2, GCM1/Gcm1 = glial cells missing, HAND1 = Heart and neural crest derivatives expressed 1, TEAD3 = TEA domain transcription factor 3, MMP9 = Matrix metalloproteinase 9, BHLHE40 = Basic helix-loop-helix family member e40, GLUT-1/Glut-1 = Glucose transporter 1, MEST = Mesoderm specific transcript, PLAC1 = Placental specific protein 1, IGF2 = Insulin-like growth factor 2, PECAM = platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, PLAU-plasminogen activator urokinase, HGF/Hgf = Hepatocyte growth factor, VEFGF/R = Vascular endothelial growth factor/Receptor s-Flt1 = soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1, FGFR2 = Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2, TFAP2C = Transcription factor AP-2 gamma, TGC = Trophoblast giant cell, STB = syncytiotrophoblast, SpTb = spongiotrophoblast TSC = Trophoblast stem cells, CTB = cytotrophblast