Acknowledgments We thank the previous authors, Yi-Yung Chen and Thomas Jansson, for their foundational work and expertise in writing the previous version of this chapter, many of the sections and figures which have been preserved in this revision. Introduction Definitions…
Introduction In the late 1980s the late Dr. David J. P. Barker used historical birth records to pioneer the concept that the origins of adult disease could be strongly associated with fetal environmental exposures in pregnancy that resulted in low…
Introduction Infection is the greatest killer in human history. The microbial theory of disease is probably the greatest advance in medicine, for it has made possible the identification of the cause of many diseases, the development of diagnostic modalities (i.e.,…
Introduction The placenta produces a greater diversity of hormones in greater quantity than any other single endocrine tissue. Near term, steroid hormones (primarily estrogens and progestins) are being made at the rate of 0.5 g/day, and protein hormones (lactogens, growth…
Introduction Transfer of solutes across the placenta is essential for fetal growth and development. Placental transfer occurs in both directions, with maternal nutrients transferred to the fetus and fetal wastes to the mother. A wide range of nutrients and wastes…
Acknowledgments Research on which this chapter is based was supported by National Institutes of Health grant HD-008783-39 and the George L. MacGregor Professorship in Pediatrics. I thank the many co-investigators and students who, while in my laboratories, facilitated many of…
Acknowledgments This chapter is a rewritten and updated form of a chapter appearing in a prior edition of this work, written by Dr. Hans-Georg Frank. Portions of the figures and writing remain Dr. Frank’s words. The authors are indebted to…
Introduction The prenatal diagnosis of a fetal genetic disorder or a chromosome abnormality generally requires invasive testing; all of the invasive tests carry small but recognized risks of miscarriage. Accordingly, an important aspect of prenatal care is screening to identify…
Introduction Embryologically, the cardiovascular system is the first to develop. The vasculature, composed of endothelial cells and their support cells, is critical not only for circulation of blood, but also for the organization, maintenance, and regeneration of multiple organ systems.…
Introduction During embryonic patterning, individual cells divide, migrate, differentiate, and respond to environmental cues. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is effectively involved in all these dynamic processes during development, maintenance, and disease. Cells are continuously connected with the ECM, a latticework…