Endocrine Abstracts

Preterm delivery (PTD) and preeclampsia (PE) are ‘obstetric syndromes’, characterized by complex pathogenesis and representing major causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Although therapeutical treatment have been developed, their incidence is not reducing. Prevention aims to preclude development of disease by eliminating/reducing risk in women with known risk factors.The feto-placental unit produces hormonal/neuronal/immune factors, cru...

Human placenta expresses a large variety of regulatory factors which are involved in the control of local hormone production, throughout paracrine and/or autocrine mechanisms. Their action may occur in the same tissue where they originate, as well as in the contiguous tissues (fetal membranes, uterus).By using primary cultures, cell lines, or tissue explants (incubated or perifused) it has been shown that neuropeptides, growth factors, cytokines modulate...