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Scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Newcastle and the University of Cambridge (UK) publish this week on the cover of the journal Nature the most detailed cell map at this time. day concerning the area of contact between a mother and her mother. future son. This atlas of cellular composition indicates possible solutions to avoid the most common early problems and to achieve a pregnancy without complications.
Researchers, including the Spanish brothers Roser and Miquel Vento-Tormo, have successfully mapped more than 70,000 transcriptomes (transcribed DNA) of healthy cells collected between the 6th and 14th week of pregnancy using techniques bioinformatics and complex genomics.
"The idea was to understand the mechanisms that occur during the first trimester of an uncomplicated pregnancy, so we created a baseline map of all cells and their interactions to compare in the future differences between healthy and problematic gestation, "explains Roser Vento-Tormo of the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
The badysis focuses on the first trimester as it is a crucial moment that determines the survival of the embryo (and the fetus). During these first weeks, the fetal cells of the placenta – which interact with those of the mother to modify their immune response – are formed and try to avoid a situation of rejection.
Through them, the embryo manages to adhere to the uterus. in the decidua, which is the innermost layer of the pregnant uterus that thickens to promote implantation. In addition, it is used to feed and oxygenate the fetus in the coming months.
"For the first time in history, we have been able to observe which genes are active in the cells that make up the decidual and placenta, thus discovering which genes are the ones that modify the maternal immune system and allow the correct development of the fetus. Vento explains:
Fewer complications
The risk of complications during pregnancy is higher during the first weeks, when the fetus has not yet been treated Consolidated In fact, two miscarriages occur spontaneously in the first trimester.
Vento states that, for the time being, the study has focused solely on understanding a healthy pregnancy, but "in the future, we will be able to predict There is some change at the beginning of pregnancy, by badyzing patient samples. "
Muzlifah Haniffa, a researcher at Newcastle University, adds that c The results "will have important implications for understanding better what happens when a pregnant woman suffers from preeclampsia or even when a miscarriage occurs. "
For the experts, this discovery will also have a significant impact on cancer studies because it is known that tumor cells use similar mechanisms with in order to avoid the immune system, to feed the blood flow and to increase its size.
An Open Access Database
The results were obtained through the creation of a tool developed in collaboration with Miquel Vento-Tormo and his team of the Spanish software development company YDEVS.
This database, which they call As CellPhoneDB, collects information about molecules and their interactions, as well as about the most likely cellular interactions. "According to Roser Vento," this tool can be applied to any fabric. With my brother Miquel, we made it accessible to all. "
Cellular Map of the Human Body
This study is part of the Human Cell Atlas initiative, an international consortium led by Sara Teichmann, one of the main supervisors of this publication and also a researcher at Wellcome Sanger Institute.
"This initiative aims to create a complete reference map of all human cells to better diagnose diseases," concludes Vento.
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