The placenta does not only act as the essential link between the developing embryo and its mother. Unexpectedly, it is also a source of serotonin — a neurotransmitter that is crucial for embryonic brain development. See Letter p.347
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Relevant articles
Open Access articles citing this article.
-
Placental genomics mediates genetic associations with complex health traits and disease
Nature Communications Open Access 04 February 2022
-
DNA damage signalling from the placenta to foetal blood as a potential mechanism for childhood leukaemia initiation
Scientific Reports Open Access 13 March 2019
-
Treating the placenta to prevent adverse effects of gestational hypoxia on fetal brain development
Scientific Reports Open Access 22 August 2017
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Gardner, R. L. J. Embryol. Exp. Morphol. 88, 303–326 (1985).
Johnson, M. Reprod. Biomed. Online doi:10.1016/j.rbmo.2011.03.001 (2011).
Bonnin, A. et al. Nature 472, 347–350 (2011).
Vitalis, T. & Parnavelas, J. G. Dev. Neurosci. 25, 245–256 (2003).
Bonnin, A., Torii, M., Wang, L., Rakic, P. & Levitt, P. Nature Neurosci. 10, 588–597 (2007).
Frost, D. O., Gibb, R. & Kolb, B. Neuropsychopharmacology 35, 344–345 (2010).
Shenoy, V., Kanasaki, K. & Kalluri, R. Trends Endocrinol. Metab. 21, 529–536 (2010).
Brunner, H. G., Nelen, M., Breakefield, X. O., Ropers, H. H. & van Oost, B. A. Science 262, 578–580 (1993).
Rossant, J. Nature 471, 457–458 (2011).
Kunath, T. Cell Stem Cell 8, 241–242 (2011).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McKay, R. Remarkable role for the placenta. Nature 472, 298–299 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/472298a
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/472298a
This article is cited by
-
Placental genomics mediates genetic associations with complex health traits and disease
Nature Communications (2022)
-
DNA damage signalling from the placenta to foetal blood as a potential mechanism for childhood leukaemia initiation
Scientific Reports (2019)
-
The Boy Who Was Hit in the Face: Somatic Regulation and Processing of Preverbal Complex Trauma
Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma (2018)
-
Treating the placenta to prevent adverse effects of gestational hypoxia on fetal brain development
Scientific Reports (2017)
-
Neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia: update 2012
Molecular Psychiatry (2012)