Placental development research: breakthrough and prospect

Successful pregnancy and delivery of a healthy offspring largely rely on a well-developed placenta. Defects in placental development may lead to various pregnancy complications. However, placenta has been one of the least understood organs. The mechanism of its development and function, as well as the molecular association between placental disorders and pregnancy complications remain unclear, thus become the least known area in the exploration of pregnancy and life. Along with the advances in modern techniques, the understanding of the placenta has been deepened from tissue structure to cellular and molecular level, and gradually toward the omics and systematic biology. In recent years, a number of groundbreaking achievements have been made in the field of placental development, which were summarized in this article. Some relevant international funding programs and future prospects in this area were also discussed. Key words: Placentation; Health planning support; Pregnancy complications